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Journal of the Polish Section of IVR (ISSN:2082-3304)

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Legal Reasoning as Practical Reasoning in John M. Finnis’ New Natural Law Theory

Mgr Michał Sopiński

University of Warsaw

English abstract: This paper presents practical reasoning in the light of John M. Finnis’ new natural law theory. Finnis’ views were shaped by Aquinas’ thoughts on natural law but he was also strongly inspired by Germain Grisez’ new approach, so his theory could be named a new natural law theory. The aim of this paper is to analyse the concept of legal reasoning as practical reasoning, which Finnis intended mainly as a strong critique of Ronald Dworkin’s theory of legal reasoning based on the concept of the one right answer. According to the author of this paper, Finnis’ critical approach to Dworkin leads to a gradual extension of the former’s concept of legal reasoning to include positivistic aspects (rapprochement with Joseph Raz’ views) and institutional aspects (rapprochement with Neil MacCormick’s views). Therefore, Finnis’ theory of legal reasoning seems to be a model example of the rapprochement between natural law and legal positivism in contemporary philosophy of law.

Keywords: John M. Finnis, natural law, legal reasoning, practical reasoning, Ronald Dworkin, one right answer

Language: Polish

Published: Number 1(21)/2020, pp. 84-98.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36280/AFPiFS.2020.1.84

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Number of downloads: 303

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: John M. Finnis, legal reasoning, natural law, one right answer, practical reasoning, Ronald Dworkin

A Prequel to Hart’s ‘Postscript’ – the Missing Link in the Hart-Dworkin Debate

Dr hab. Andrzej Grabowski

Jagiellonian University

English abstract: In his translator’s note to the H.L.A Hart’s paper New Challenge to Legal Positivism, Andrzej Grabowski describes the historical details of Hart’s Madrid lecture and the changes of the original Spanish text, introduced in the translation. He argues that Hart’s paper can be regarded as the prequel to the ‘Postscript’ from 1994, since the lecture deals with the criticism of Dworkin against the Hartian version of legal positivism and some important parts of them (from Section II) were in extenso included in the ‘Postscript’. The translator also emphasises the importance of Hart’s lecture as a text-source of information, which can be used in the contemporary debate on the inclusive legal positivism and for the critical reconstruction of Hart’s theoretical position.

Keywords: Herbert L. A. Hart, Ronald Dworkin, legal positivism, Hart-Dworkin debate

Language: Polish

Published: Numer 2(9)/2014, pp. 21-25

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Number of downloads: 131

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Hart-Dworkin debate, Herbert L. A. Hart, legal positivism, Ronald Dworkin

“The Semantic Sting” Argument and Jerzy Wróblewski’s Theory of Law

Mgr Adam Dyrda

Jagiellonian University


English abstract:
Ronald Dworkin once criticized legal positivists for that their theories are founded on a mistake called “the semantic sting”, which claims that legal philosophy, as a silent prologue to every decision of law, cannot be only a semantic account to the word ‘law’. The article presents Dworkinean argument (and its most influential critique of Herbert Hart) and examines whether Jerzy Wróblewski’s legal theory (in its descriptive layer similar to the theory of Herbert Hart) is susceptible to “the semantic sting”. Finally, the answer given is based on a particular solution: Jerzy Wróblewski’s concept of rationality of legal decision appliance. The answer is in accoradance with argumentation of soft positivists, such as Herbert Hart or Jules Coleman, and is based on the acceptance that, even if Dworkin’s argument is meaningfull, it still does not apply to the theories presented by the soft positivists. The controversy whether a particular theory is “semantically stung” is de facto a dispute over a proper methodological approach to legal theory and a relation in which such a theory remains to interpretative jurisprudence of Ronald Dworkin. In this case we can treat Jerzy Wróblewski’s theory as a metatheory, which deals with theoretic disagreement over the grounds of the law, while deciding the case.

Keywords: Ronald Dworkin, Herbert Hart, Jerzy Wróblewski, semantic sting, legal positivism, rational application of law

Language: Polish

Published: Number 1(1)/2010, pp. 39-47.

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Number of downloads:
173

References:

  1. Coleman J. (red.), Hart’s Postscript: Essays on the Postscript to the Concept of Law, Oxford 2001.
  2. Coleman J., Methodology, w: Coleman J., Shapiro S. (red.), The Oxford Handbook of Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law, Oxford 2002.
  3. Coleman J., The Practice of Principle: In Defence of a Pragmatist Approach to Legal Theory, Oxford 2001.
  4. Coleman J., Shapiro S. (red.), The Oxford Handbook of Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law, Oxford 2002.
  5. Davidson D., Preface, w: LePore E., McLaughlin B.P., Actions and Events. Perspectives on the Philosophy of Donald Davidson, Oxford 1985.
  6. Dworkin R., Imperium prawa, Warszawa 2006.
  7. Gizbert-Studnicki T., Zasady i reguły prawne, „Państwo i Prawo” 1988/3.
  8. Hart H.L.A., Definition and Theory in Jurisprudence, Oxford 1953.
  9. Hart H.L.A., Pojęcie prawa, Warszawa 1998.
  10. LePore E., McLaughlin B.P., Actions and Events. Perspectives on the Philosophy of Donald Davidson, Oxford 1985.
  11. MacCormick N., Legal Reasoning and Legal Theory, Oxford 1978.
  12. Raz J., Two Views of the Nature of the Theory of Law: A Partial Comparison, w: Coleman J. (red.), Hart’s Postscript: Essays on the Postscript to the Concept of Law, Oxford 2001.
  13. Shapiro S., What is Law? (And Why Should We Care?), 1st Conference On Philosophy And Law Neutrality And Theory Of Law, Girona, 20-22.05.2010
  14. Wróblewski J., Ronald Dworkin Law’s Empire, „Państwo i Prawo” 1988/3.
  15. Wróblewski J., Rozumienie prawa i jego wykładnia, Wrocław 1990.
  16. Wróblewski J., Sądowe stosowanie prawa, Warszawa 1972.
  17. Wróblewski J., Zagadnienia teorii wykładni prawa ludowego, Warszawa 1959.
  18. Zabala S., The hermeneutic nature of analytic philosophy: a study of Ernst Tugendhat, New York 2008.
  19. Zirk-Sadowski M., Wprowadzenie, w: Dworkin R., Imperium prawa, Warszawa 2006.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Adam Dyrda, Herbert Hart, Jerzy Wróblewski, legal positivism, rational application of law, Ronald Dworkin, semantic sting

Ronald Dworkin’s Philosophy of International Law

Dr Tomasz Widłak

University of Gdańsk


Abstract:
During his academic career Ronald Dworkin did not show much interest in the fundamental philosophical questions on international legal issues. This had changed towards the end of his life when he wrote an article titled „A New Philosophy for International Law” published posthumously. The aim of this article is to summarise the key arguments of Dworkin’s approach, address some of its critics as well as to suggest the possibility of further development of this discussion in the context of current global constitutionalism. In the first part, three thesis of Dworkin’s approach are reconstructed. The first one claims that international law requires interpretative understanding which should be grounded in the political morality of the international community. The second thesis can be formulated as follows: the legitimacy of political power at the national and international levels is uniform. The third thesis demands the implementation of the principle of salience in international law as the basic structural principle. After discussing critically Dworkin’s theory, in second part the article proposes a constitutional interpretation of the new philosophy for international law. Two conditions of global constitutionalism have to be satisfied by the theory in order to consider it as a constitutionalist approach. The first condition is the primacy of individual rights and second is the primacy of constitutional norms within the system. The conclusion is that the conditions are satisfied for Dworkin’s new philosophy of international law and his principle of salience is in fact a deeply constitutional arrangement based on moral justification. Dworkin’s proposal constitutes only a rough sketch, however there is a potential for developments. Lawyers and philosophers have at least an intellectual responsibility for building new viable theoretical models for international law.

Keywords: Ronald Dworkin, international law, international society, principle of salience, global constitutionalism, constitutionalization of international law, international legal theory, global law

Language: Polish

Published: Number 1(12)/2016, p. 64-77.

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Number of downloads:
244

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: constitutionalization of international law, global constitutionalism, global law, international law, international legal theory, international society, principle of salience, Ronald Dworkin, Tomasz Widłak

Fish – Dworkin debate as an example of dispute about practice of interpretation of law

Dr Michał Pełka

University of Warsaw


English abstract:
The aim of the article is to critically asses the theories of interpretation developed by two prominent philosophers, namely Stanley Fish and Ronald Dworkin. After first describing and reconstructing their ideas the paper then identifies problems concerning the stance according to which everything in applying law depends on interpretation. The critic is based on the Ludwig’s Wittgenstein remark that there must be grasping the rule (or more broadly a meaning of any word) which is not interpretation, otherwise we end up in regressus ad infinitum fallacy. Paper’s main claim is that although the theory of R. Dworkin is not fully free from defects it has nevertheless more explanation power than the opponent’s propositions.

Keywords: legal interpretation, meaning, Stanley Fish, Ronald Dworkin, Ludwig Wittgenstein

Language: Polish

Published: Number 2(11)/2015, p. 86-105.

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Number of downloads:
337

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: legal interpretation, Ludwig Wittgenstein, meaning, Michał Pełka, Ronald Dworkin, Stanley Fish

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identity Christine Korsgaard lay judge subjectivity/structure law-maiking strategies of interpretation Devlin neopragmatism Integrative Theory of Law (non)discrimination multicentrism respect for law Eemil Lagerspetz justice judicial proceedings legal aphorisms Mateusz Zeifert theory of decision making Herbert Hart test of a reasonable sceptic social interest Scott J. Shapiro resentment good governance court decisions Aleksandra Samonek spokesman of truth dignity interpretive methodology Piyel Haldar Polish law Krzysztof Goździalski popular constitutionalism minimal morality Dawid Bunikowski limitations of the lawyers’ power international law society US case law human nature Radbruch’s formula moral judgement administrative sciences Jedwabne debate conversational implicature common good claim to correctness strict scrutiny test antagonism legal norm

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