Reidy (University of Tennessee) offers an accessible introduction to some of the main issues and debates of the philosophy of law. To begin, he reviews three different ways in which philosophers have thought about the nature and validity of law in general: legal positivism, natural law theory, and various versions of legal realism. This sets the stage for discussion of issues raised by the practice of judicial review in a constitutional democracy. There is also material on the problem of legal punishment, and an inquiry into the nature of international law. The book is for undergraduate students, and assumes a basic familiarity with the American political and legal system or modern liberal democratic systems similar to it. There is no subject index. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
What is a law? What gives laws their authority? What is the purpose of punishment? Do certain laws apply internationally, that is, across national borders? In ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF LAW, David Reidy guides students through these and other central questions in the philosophy of law. Written in an engaging style, this text provides a first-hand encounter with the philosophical issues concerning law, thereby preparing students for serious inquiry. THE WADSWORTH PHILOSOPHICAL TOPICS SERIES presents readers with concise, timely, and insightful introductions to a variety of traditional and contemporary philosophical subjects. With this series, students of philosophy will be able to discover the richness of philosophical inquiry across a wide array of concepts, including hallmark philosophical themes and themes typically underrepresented in mainstream philosophy publishing. Written by a distinguished list of scholars who have garnered particular recognition for their excellence in teaching, this series presents the vast sweep of today's philosophical exploration in highly accessible and affordable volumes. These books will prove valuable to philosophy teachers and their students as well as to other readers who share a general interest in philosophy.
