"May and Brown's anthology on the Philosophy of Law is a useful and readily accessible resource for students and theorists. The editors have combined classical philosophical writings on core topics in philosophy of law with contemporary articles by both lawyers and philosophers, and the chapters are grouped under headings familiar to law students.
Philosophy of Law provides a rich overview of the diverse theoretical justifications for our legal rules, systems, and practices. The volume introduces the classical questions of philosophy of law as well as new emerging areas of theoretical dispute for legal theorists, philosophers, and lawyers. Providing introductions to all major areas of Anglo-American law, and the major philosophical underpinnings of each of these areas, it also examines questions concerning the theoretical foundation and application of international law.
The text includes seminal essays from the history of philosophy, including works from Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, John Austin, Jeremy Bentham, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, and others. In addition, many contemporary theorists are included, such as H. L. A. Hart, Ronald Dworkin, Robert Nozick, Richard Posner, Richard Epstein, A. M. Honoré, and Michael Moore, as well as diverse voices from feminism, critical theory, postmodernism, and critical race theory.
By bringing together these different and distinct voices into dialogue, the volume fully represents the philosophical foundations of various areas of law. By exposing students to a wide range of theoretical views, this book challenges students to think critically about law in the US and elsewhere, and between nations.
