The Philosophy of Law
The concept of law lies at the heart of our social and political life, shaping the character of our community and underlying issues from racism and abortion to human rights and international war. But what actually is law? A set of naturally occurring moral principles, or simply rules agreed by a particular society? What is a 'right' and what rights should people actually have? ...
The concept of law lies at the heart of our social and political life, shaping the character of our community and underlying issues from racism and abortion to human rights and international war. But what actually is law? A set of naturally occurring moral principles, or simply rules agreed by a particular society? What is a 'right' and what rights should people actually have? Is law really colour-blind and gender-blind? Can the law truly tell us whether gay marriages are immoral, what's wrong with racism, or whether we should go to war? Revealing the intriguing and challenging nature of legal philosophy with clarity and enthusiasm, Raymond Wacks explores the notion of law and its role in our lives. Referring to key thinkers from Aristotle to Rawls, Bentham, Dworkin, H.L.A. Hart and Derrida, he looks at the central questions behind legal theory that have fascinated lawyers and philosophers - and anyone - who ever wondered about law's relation to justice, morality, and democracy.
作者
雷蒙德•瓦克斯 香港大学法学和法理学荣誉退休教授。主要研究领域为法学理论、隐私权和人权，所发表作品涉及法律及法哲学的诸多方面。主要著作包括：《个人信息：隐私与法律》（1993）、《法理学》（1999，该书在世界范围内作为教材被广泛采用）、《理解法理学：法律理论引 论 》（ 2005）等。
序言作者
季卫东 上海交通大学凯原法学院院长、教授。1983年于北京大学法律学系毕业后留学日本，获京都大学法学博士学位。1990年就任神户大学法学院副教授，1996年升任正教授。1991至1992年期间为美国斯坦福大学法学院访问学者。主要研究领域为法社会学、比较法学、中国法律与政治。主要著作包括《超近代的法》、《法治秩序的建构》、《现代中国的法制变迁》、《宪政新论》、《法律程序的意义》、《中国审判的构图》等。