Law as justice? Rawlsian foundations of non-positivism

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26485/SPE/2021/119/5

Keywords:

John Rawls, non-positivism, jurisprudence

Abstract

Background: This paper offers an interpretation of John Rawls’s philosophy as applied to jurisprudence.

Research purpose: The purpose is to interpret the ideal of the original position as a device of non-positivist jurisprudence, which help us to better understand the theoretical bond between justice and law, as well as make a case for non-positivism.

Methods: Analytical jurisprudence, conceptual analysis, reflective equilibrium

Conclusions: The paper argues that Rawlsian original position can be applied in constructing a non-positivist conception of law, and that within the Rawlsian scheme moral considerations are indispensable when determining legal validity.

References

Alexy R., The Argument from Injustice: A Reply to Legal Positivism, trans. S.L. Paulson, B. Litschewski-Pulson, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2004.

Alexy R., On the Concept and the Nature of Law, Ratio Juris 2008/32 (3), pp. 281–299.

Aquinas Th., Treatise on Law, trans. R.J. Regan, Hackett Publishing Company, Indianapolis and Cambridge 2000.

Dworkin R., Justice for Hedgehogs, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA 2011.

Dworkin R., Law’s Empire, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA 1986.

Dworkin R., Rawls and the Law, Fordham Law Review 2004/72, pp. 1387–1405.

Finnis J., Natural Law and Natural Rights [second edition], Oxford University Press, Oxford 2011.

Gardner J., Legal Positivism: 5 and ½ Myths, The American Journal of Jurisprudence 2001/46, pp. 199–227.

Kersting W., Gerechtigkeit und öffentliche Vernunft, Über John Rawls’ politischen Liberalismus, Mentis, Paderborn 2006.

Kędziora K., John Rawls. Uzasadnienie, sprawiedliwość i rozum publiczny, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego, Łódź 2019.

Kramer M., On the Moral Status of the Rule of Law, The Cambridge Law Journal 2004/63 (1), pp. 65–97.

Lyons D., Review: Principles, Positivism, and Legal Theory, The Yale Law Journal 1977/87 (2), pp. 415–435.

Manz H.G. von, Fairneß und Vernunftrecht, Georg Olms Verlag, Hildesheim, Zürich, New York 1992.

Murphy L., Nagel T., The myth of ownership, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2002.

Rawls J., A Theory of Justice, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA 1971.

Rawls, J., Justice as Fairness: A Restatement, Ed. Erin Kelly, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA 2001.

Rawls J., Political Liberalism, Columbia University Press, New York 1996.

Raz J., The Argument from Justice, or How Not to Reply to Legal Positivism, in: G. Pavlakos (ed.), Law, Rights and Discourse: The Legal Philosophy of Robert Alexy, Hart Publishing, Oxford and Portland 2007, pp. 17–35.

Raz J., Ethics in the Public Domain: Essays in the Morality of Law and Politics [revised edition], Oxford University Press, Oxford 1996.

Shapiro S., Legality, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA and London 2011.

Sidgwick H., The Methods of Ethics, Macmillan, London 1907.

Simmonds N.E., Straightforwardly False: The Collapse Of Kramer’s Positivism, The Cambridge Law Journal 2004/63 (1), pp. 98–131.

Sopiński M., Ewolucja teorii rozumowania prawniczego Neila MacCormicka, Archiwum Filozofii Prawa i Filozofii Społecznej 2019/1, pp. 63–78.

Waluchow W.J., Inclusive Legal Positivism, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1994.

Downloads

Published

2021-08-28

How to Cite

Rupniewski, M. (2021). Law as justice? Rawlsian foundations of non-positivism. Studia Prawno-Ekonomiczne, 119, 91–106. https://doi.org/10.26485/SPE/2021/119/5

Issue

Section

ARTICLES - THE LAW