Study

715 Law and Morality

This seminar will introduce students to four interrelated topics at the foundation of law and morality: (1) metaethics, which analyzes the content of moral statements and the nature of moral facts; (2) the structure of morality, namely the debate between “consequentialists” and “deontologists”; (3) the nature of law, specifically whether law in a given legal system is derivable from a rule of recognition, or whether law instead is a synthesis of enacted legal texts and other legal materials with a positivist pedigree and moral principles; and (4) the moral authority of law, namely whether individuals have a conclusive or at least prima facie moral duty to obey the law. Readings will be drawn from foundational texts by H.LA. Hart, Ronald Dworkin, and Shelly Kagan.

Course Areas of Practice
Evaluation Methods
  • Reflective Writing
  • Research and/or analytical paper(s), 10-15 pages
  • Class participation
Degree Requirements
JD elective
IntlLLM-SJD-EXC elective
IntlLLM writing
Course Type
  • Seminar
Learning Outcomes
  • Exercise of proper professional and ethical responsibilities to clients and the legal system
  • Other professional skills needed for competent and ethical participation as a member of the legal profession

Sample Syllabi

Spring 2025

2025
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

715.01 2
  • Reflective Writing
  • Research and/or analytical paper(s), 10-15 pages
  • Class participation
 Matthew Adler

This seminar will introduce students to four interrelated topics at the foundation of law and morality: (1) metaethics, which analyzes the content of moral statements and the nature of moral facts; (2) the structure of morality, namely the debate between “consequentialists” and “deontologists”; (3) the nature of law, specifically whether law in a given legal system is derivable from a rule of recognition, or whether law instead is a synthesis of enacted legal texts and other legal materials with a positivist pedigree and moral principles; and (4) the moral authority of law, namely whether individuals have a conclusive or at least prima facie moral duty to obey the law. Readings will be drawn from foundational texts by H.LA. Hart, Ronald Dworkin, and Shelly Kagan.

Grading Basis: Graded

Syllabus: 715-01-Spring2025-syllabus.pdf201.63 KB

Degree Requirements
Pre/Co-requisites
None

In this section

*Please note that this information is for planning purposes only, and should not be relied upon for the schedule for a given semester. Faculty leaves and sabbaticals, as well as other curriculum considerations, will sometimes affect when a course may be offered.