The Cambridge Companion to Natural Law Jurisprudence

This volume brings together leading experts on natural law theory to provide perspectives on the nature and foundations of law.

George Duke (Edited by), Robert P. George (Edited by)

9781107546462, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 16 June 2017

468 pages
22.8 x 15.2 x 2.5 cm, 0.68 kg

This collection provides an intellectually rigorous and accessible overview of key topics in contemporary natural law jurisprudence, an influential yet frequently misunderstood branch of legal philosophy. It fills a gap in the existing literature by bringing together leading international experts on natural law theory to provide perspectives on some of the most pressing issues pertaining to the nature and moral foundations of law. Themes covered include the history of the natural law tradition, the natural law account of practical reason, normativity and ethics, natural law approaches to legal obligation and authority and constitutional law. Creating a dialogue between leading figures in natural law thought, the Companion is an ideal introduction to the main commitments of natural law jurisprudence, whilst also offering a concise summary of developments in current scholarship for more advanced readers.

1. Introduction George Duke and Robert P. George
Part I. Foundations: 2. Aquinas and natural law jurisprudence John Finnis
3. Natural law, God and human dignity Robert P. George
4. Early modern natural law theories Knud Haakonssen
5. Metaphysical foundations of natural law theories Jonathan Crowe
Part II. Practical Reason, Normativity and Ethics: 6. Natural law, basic goods, and practical reason Christopher Tollefsen
7. Practical reason in the context of law Veronica Rodriguez-Blanco
8. Hume, virtue and natural law Thomas Pink
9. Natural law reasoning in applied ethics Jacqueline Laing
Part III. Law and Politics: 10. Law as an idea we live by N. E. Simmonds
11. The moral impact theory, the dependence view, and natural law Mark Greenberg
12. The ideal dimension of law Robert Alexy
13. Two unhappy dilemmas for natural law jurisprudence Mark C. Murphy
14. The common good George Duke
15. Natural law theory and constitutionalism Gerard V. Bradley
16. Opening the doors of inquiry: Lon Fuller and the natural law tradition Kristen Rundle.

Subject Areas: Contract law [LNCJ], Jurisprudence & general issues [LA]