PHIL 378
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Philosophy of Law
Department(s)
Course Description
This course is concerned with the nature of law and the relationship between law and morality. The course is centered on questions like the following: What is the law? What is the connection between law and morality? Is it morally wrong to break the law? Is breaking the law sometimes morally permissible or even morally required? Should morality be legally enforced? To what extent, if at all, should legal decisions be influenced by moral beliefs? What are the relationships between legal, constitutional, moral, and political rights? Can legal punishment be morally justified? While pursuing answers to these questions through the work of leading legal philosophers, students read a number of actual court cases and discuss specific issues like hate speech and capital punishment, among others.
Course Typically Offered
Offered frequently.
Career
Undergraduate
Catalog Course Attributes
CO24 - ARTHUM (Artistic and Humanistic), INTD - BIOE (Bioethics BIOE), INTD - CLJ (Crime Law Justice Studies CLJ)
Min Units
1
Max Units
1
Name
Lecture
Optional Component
No
Final Exam Type
Yes