The theory of law and practical reason offered in MacCormick's latest book constitutes an insightful approach through which to tackle some of the more debated issues in jurisprudence and practical philosophy today. Critical reflection on MacCormick's theory, thus, may indeed by the way to work toward an insightful treatment of reason applied to practical disputes.

Stefano Bertea, Journal of Law and Society, Volume 23, No.3, 2009

The book is clearly written in MacCormick's usual lucid and lively style avoiding technicalities, and a pleasure to read. Anyone having heard him lecture will sense his voice and be enlightened to think on the use of practical reason...MacCormick's account is a rewarding read and his message should be taken seriously by anyone interested in law and morality

Jes Bjarup, Natural Law, Practical Reason and Autonomous Persons, Archiv Fuer Rechts Und Sozialphilosophie 95.3

...deserves a wider reading and could change the picture of legal positivism nowadays. It could be the case not only because of the valuable new insight into the old problems invoked in philosophical thoughts achieved by means of dialogue with the contemporary context of legal theory, but also because of the deepness, reflective and proactively original insight presented in MacComick's last book. I strongly recommend this book to every lawyer

Lidia Rodak, Silesian Journal of Legal Studies

The concept of practical reason is central to contemporary thought on ethics and the philosophy of law - acting well means acting for good reasons. Explaining this requires several stages. How do reasons relate to actions at all, as incentives and in explanations? What are values, how do they relate to human nature, and how do they enter practical reasoning? How do the concepts of 'right and wrong' fit in, and in what way do they involve questions of mutual trust among human beings? How does our moral freedom - our freedom to form our own moral commitments - relate to our responsibilities to each other? How is this final question transposed into law and legal commitments? This book explores these questions, vital to understanding the nature of law and morality. It presents a clear account of practical reason, valuable to students of moral philosophy and jurisprudence at undergraduate or postgraduate levels. For more advanced scholars it also offers a reinterpretation of Kant's views on moral autonomy and Smith's on self-command, marrying Smith's 'moral sentiments' to Kant's 'categorical imperative' in a novel way. The book concludes and underpins the author's Law, State and Practical Reason series. Taken together the books offer an overarching theory of the nature of law and legal reason, the role of the State, and the nature of moral reason and judgement.
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This book offers a clear account of the philosophy of practical reason in ethics and legal theory. It explains how reasons relate to actions, the nature of values and their relation to reasons, and the relation of morality to legal reasoning. It provides an ideal introduction to these issues for students of moral philosophy and jurisprudence.
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Preface ; Table of cases ; Introduction ; 1. Incentives and Reasons ; 2. Values and Human Nature ; 3. Right and Wrong ; 4. Questions of Trust ; 5. Autonomy and Reason ; 6. Obedience, Freedom and Engagement - or Utility? ; 7. Society, Property, and Commerce ; 8. On Justice ; 9. Using Freedom Well ; 10. Judging: Legal Cases and Moral Questions ; 11. Practical Reason, Law, and State ; Index
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`This summary of the main themes addressed by MacCormick in Practical Reason in Law and Morality suffices to show how ambitious, rich in content, and broad in scope the book is.' Stefano Bertea - School of Law, University of Leicester. `...the most personal of his books, especially the first and last chapters, which read as something of a philosophical memoir.' James Lee, University of Birmingham, Jurisprudence `[MacCormick]...tackles here the deeper issues that he himself realised had been left open and uncertain in his salient works on legal theory...I would recommend this book to all those who, sharing in a way the liberal, social-democratic views of the author, have felt as acutely as he felt the doubts regarding the existence of a moral truth. These readers will find some good arguments enabling them to move from scepticism to the basic conviction that seeking the truth is meaningful, has prospects of success..., and is the fundamental rationale for discussion and disagreement.' Cristobal Orrego, Univeristy of the Andes, Chile, Jurisprudence
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Offers an accessible, lively introduction to the philosophy of practical reason, suitable for students or general readers new to the subject Includes an original reinterpretation of the moral philosophy of Kant and Smith, reconciling their views on moral autonomy Completes the author's four-volume series, Law, State and Practical Reason, which together presents the definitive statement of the author's thought
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The late Neil MacCormick was Regius Professor of Public Law at Edinburgh University since 1972 where he served various terms as Dean of the Faculty of Law, Provost of the Faculty Group of Law and Social Sciences, and Vice-Principal (International). His previous posts were at Balliol College (Fellow and Tutor in Jurisprudence 1967-72) and St Andrew's University (Lecturer in Jurisprudence, Queen's College Dundee, 1965-7) From 1999 to 2004 he served as Member of the European Parliament (Scotland, Scottish National Party/European Free Alliance), and had the unusual experience of participating in the Constitutional Convention that drafted the currently derailed constitution for Europe. In 2007, Neil MacCormick was elected President of the 'IVR', the International association for the Philosophy of Law and Social Philosophy. This marks his rare international distinction as a leader in philosophy of law World-wide.
Les mer
Offers an accessible, lively introduction to the philosophy of practical reason, suitable for students or general readers new to the subject Includes an original reinterpretation of the moral philosophy of Kant and Smith, reconciling their views on moral autonomy Completes the author's four-volume series, Law, State and Practical Reason, which together presents the definitive statement of the author's thought
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780198268772
Publisert
2008
Utgiver
Vendor
Oxford University Press
Vekt
517 gr
Høyde
242 mm
Bredde
162 mm
Dybde
19 mm
Aldersnivå
UP, 05
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
240

Forfatter

Om bidragsyterne

The late Neil MacCormick was Regius Professor of Public Law at Edinburgh University since 1972 where he served various terms as Dean of the Faculty of Law, Provost of the Faculty Group of Law and Social Sciences, and Vice-Principal (International). His previous posts were at Balliol College (Fellow and Tutor in Jurisprudence 1967-72) and St Andrew's University (Lecturer in Jurisprudence, Queen's College Dundee, 1965-7) From 1999 to 2004 he served as Member of the European Parliament (Scotland, Scottish National Party/European Free Alliance), and had the unusual experience of participating in the Constitutional Convention that drafted the currently derailed constitution for Europe. In 2007, Neil MacCormick was elected President of the 'IVR', the International association for the Philosophy of Law and Social Philosophy. This marks his rare international distinction as a leader in philosophy of law World-wide.