This comprehensive anthology contains readings selected from both philosophy and law journals and includes classic texts, contemporary theoretical developments, and well-known recent court cases. The text features extensive introductions which ensure that even the most complex readings are made accessible to undergraduate students.

EACH SUB-CHAPTER OPENS WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND MOST CLOSE WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING; QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION ARE INTEGRATED THROUGHOUT; 1. WHAT IS LAW?; 1.1 THE THEORY OF NATURAL LAW; READINGS; 1.2 LEGAL POSITIVISM; READINGS; 1.3 LEGAL REALISM AND CRITICAL LEGAL STUDIES; READINGS; 1.4 RONALD DWORKIN AND LAW AS INTEGRITY; READINGS; 1.5 CASE STUDY: THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAWS; READINGS; 2. LEGAL REASONING; 2.1 THE INTERPRETATION OF LEGAL TEXTS; READINGS AND CASES; 2.2 REASONING FROM PRECEDENT; READINGS; CASES; 2.3 CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON LEGAL REASONING; READINGS; 3. THE MORAL FORCE OF LAW; 3.1 IS THERE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO OBEY THE LAW?; READINGS; 3.2 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE; READINGS; CASE; 4. THE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT OF RIGHTS; 4.1 THE STRUCTURE OF RIGHTS; READINGS; CASE; 4.2 THE RIGHT TO LIBERTY; READINGS AND CASES; THE HARM PRINCIPLE; OFFENSE; PATERNALISM; MORALISM; 4.3 A RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH; READINGS; CASE STUDY: PORNOGRAPHY; CASE STUDY: HATE SPEECH; 4.4 THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY; READINGS AND CASES; PRIVACY AS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT; THE RIGHT TO AN ABORTION; 4.5 THE RIGHT TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM; READINGS; CASES; 4.6 THE RIGHT TO PROPERTY; READINGS; CASE; 5. JUSTICE AND EQUALITY; 5.1 WHAT IS JUSTICE?; READINGS; 5.2 THEORIES OF JUSTICE; READINGS; 5.3 DISCRIMINATION; READINGS; CASE; 5.4 PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT; READINGS; CASES; 5.5 EQUALITY FOR WOMEN; READINGS; CASES; 5.6 EQUALITY FOR HOMOSEXUALS; READINGS; CASE; 5.7 OTHER KINDS OF DISCRIMINATION; 6. PUNISHMENT; 6.1 THE NATURE OF PUNISHMENT; 6.2 THEORIES OF PUNISHMENT; 6.3 UTILITARIAN THEORIES OF PUNISHMENT; READINGS; 6.4 RETRIBUTIVISMS; READINGS; 6.5 COMBINATIONS AND ALTERNATIVES; 6.6 CAPITAL PUNISHMENT; READINGS; CASES; 7. RESPONSIBILITY; 7.1 WHAT IS RESPONSIBILITY?; 7.2 LEGAL CAUSATION; READING; CASE; 7.3 RESPONSIBILITY FOR OMISSIONS; READINGS; CASE; 7.4 MENS REA AND STRICT LIABILITY; READING; CASE; CASE STUDY: LIABILITY FOR RAPE; 7.5 THE INSANITY DEFENSE; READINGS; CASE; 8. LEGAL PROCEDURE AND EVIDENCE; 8.1 THE BURDEN OF PROOF; READINGS; CASE; 8.2 PROBABILITY AND THE LAW OF EVIDENCE; READINGS; CASES; 8.3 CRIMINAL PROCEDURE AND THE EXCLUSIONARY RULE; READINGS; CASE; APPENDIX