Editor's preface -- "I want my old mind back" -- "The case of the speluncean explorers" -- Law's contours -- Law and morals : positivism and natural law -- Historical schools of thought : the American Revolution to World War II -- Historical schools of thought : the legal process school in the mid-twentieth century -- Two background moral theories -- Historical schools of thought : critical legal studies and postmodern legal theories -- Methodological polytheism.
Summary:
"The way lawyers and judges think about the law can appear deeply mysterious. They see nuance and meaning in statutes and long-ranging implications in rules that seem hidden to the rest of us. Accessible and thought provoking, Sharpening the Legal Mind helps explain the cases and controversies that come before the courts. Written by William Powers, the former president of the University of Texas at Austin, this concise and precise reference introduces the philosophical and intellectual history of legal thought, including the academic study of law and legal reasoning and analysis. Powers discusses topics such as the distinction between laws and morals, the relationship been courts and legislatures, and the role of coercion in laws. In eight chapters, he follows the evolution of debates on these issues and others through different generations and movements in American social and legal thought-formalism, realism, utilitarianism-to critical legal studies and postmodern theory. The perfect read for anyone looking for a primer on legal reasoning, Sharpening the Legal Mind is a brief introduction to the historical debates that still influence the rule of law in our lives"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.