00385 - Philosophy of Law (D-L)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student: - is able to understand the fundamental philosophical issues raised by law and their significance; - has knowledge of legal-philosophical conceptions in their historical development, from their origins to contemporary perspectives, and can reconstruct how these conceptions provide answers to these issues; - can critically evaluate the theoretical advantages and limitations of the various conceptions; - possesses basic notions of legal theory and the theory of legal interpretation.

Course contents

A critical and theoretical introduction to the main concepts in legal philosophy, with specific reference to the following:

• Theories of justice 

• Norms and normative systems

• Interpretation of law   

• Law and social conventions

Readings/Bibliography

a) A.A.V.V., Argomenti di teoria del diritto. Materiali per gli studenti, Giappichelli, Torino, 2016.

b) M. Sandel, Giustizia. Il nostro bene comune, Feltrinelli, Milano, 2010.

c) A. Rotolo, Perché il diritto è una convenzione? Il gioco delle norme e il suo linguaggio, Giappichelli, Torino, 2nd ed., 2017. (Introduzione, chaps. 1 and 2)

Seminars and side lectures will be indicated during the course.

 

For students who are behind schedule with their exams and who are enrolled in the five-year programme inGiurisprudenza (Magistrale),the four-year programme in Giurisprudenza (vecchio or nuovo ordinamento), in the three-year programme in Scienze giuridiche, or in the two-year Laurea Specialistica in Giurisprudenza

Students who are behind schedule (students who have registered for this course in a previous academic year and have yet to take the exam) should follow the syllabus for students who have registered for the course in the current academic year. Any changes a student wishes to make to the syllabus will have to be made in agreement with the professor.

 

Students who have to earn credits

Students who are required to supplement this exam with one additional credit (1 CFU) will be be tested (oral exam only) on the following text:

G. Zagrebelsky, Il diritto mite (Turin: Einaudi, 1992), chaps. 2 and 3

Students who are required to supplement this exam with three additional credits (3 CFU) will be be tested (oral exam only) on one of the following texts (of student's own choice):

1) A. Rotolo, Perché il diritto è una convenzione? Il gioco delle norme e il suo linguaggio, Giappichelli, Torino, 2nd ed., 2017.

2) G. Zagrebelsky, Il diritto mite, Einaudi, Torino 1992.

 

Erasmus Students

One of the following options:

1) Option 1

a) A.A.V.V., Argomenti di teoria del diritto. Materiali per gli studenti, Giappichelli, Torino, 2016.

b) M. Sandel, Giustizia. Il nostro bene comune, Feltrinelli, Milano, 2010.

c) A. Rotolo, Perché il diritto è una convenzione? Il gioco delle norme e il suo linguaggio, Giappichelli, Torino, 2nd ed., 2017.

 

2) Option 2

a) A.A.V.V., Argomenti di teoria del diritto. Materiali per gli studenti, Giappichelli, Torino, 2016. 

b) M. Sandel, Giustizia. Il nostro bene comune, Feltrinelli, Milano, 2010

and one of the following books:

- C.S. Nino, Derecho, moral y política, Barcelona, Ariel 1994;

- R. Alexy, Begriff und Geltung des Rechts, Freiburg, Alber 1992;

- H. Hart, The Concept of Law, 2nd ed. with a Postscript, Oxford, Clarendon 1994 (chaps. 1-6 and Postscript);

- J. Coleman, The Practice of Principle, Oxford, Oxford University Press 2001 (Part Two);

- M. Troper, La théorie du droit, le droit, l'état, Paris, Presses Universitaires de France, 2001.

Teaching methods

The lectures will either cover course contents or will consist in the reading and commenting of a text related to those contents.

Further information about the course will be provided in class and published online. Seminars and side lectures could be indicated during the course.

This is a first-semester course. Please check on the Law School website for the room and the weekly schedule of the lectures.

The slides and othert teaching materials are available here.

 

Assessment methods

The learning assessment takes place through the final exam which consists of one-hour-and-half written test consisting of 3 open-ended questions on the entire course contents.

Each question allows to obtain from 0 to a maximum of 10 points which contribute to determining the final grade. The test is passed with a minimum score of 18 points.

The test aims to verify the acquired knowledge on the basic and advanced concepts covered in the course. The acquired knowledge, the critical and methodological skills of the student, the ability to connect parts of the program in an interdisciplinary way will be evaluated. Particular attention will be paid to the integrated vision of the discipline.

The test takes place without the possibility of consulting books, notes, digital tools, under penalty of annulment of the test itself.

 

ASSESSMENT METHODS FOR STUDENTS BEHIND SCHEDULE
The procedures described above are also valid for students behind schedule.

Teaching tools

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q4nr6kg1lgabp5y/fil_dir_convenzioni.pdf?dl=0These include handouts summarizing the main course topics, the reading and commenting of texts in class, and tests by which to assess student performance.

All the information relative to the course, along with any notice the instructors may give, as well as any supplemental course material, will be available online. 

Slides on law and conventions can be downloaded here.

Dissertation thesis

Students wishing to write a thesis in this subject area are advised to include the following courses in their curriculum:

• Theory of Law and of Legal Interpretation

• Legal Logic and Argumentation

• Sociology of Law

• Applied Ethics

Office hours

See the website of Antonino Rotolo