00385 - Philosophy of Law (R-Z)

Learning outcomes

Students will be introduced to the critical study of the history of legal philosophy, to the fundamental issues of legal theory (such as the typology of norms and the interpretation, integration, and systematization of law), and to the most relevant authors and problems discussed in the contemporary legal-philosophical debate. The course is meant to provide first-year students in legal studies both with a non-superficial knowledge of the historical development of theoretical thinking about law in the Western philosophical culture and with an introduction to the basic concepts of legal theory.

Course contents

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

Natural-law theory

Legal positivism

Legal Realism

Constitutionalism in legal theory

Law, morality, and justice

Sources of law

Legal norms

Legal systems

Interpretation and argumentation in law

Readings/Bibliography

Attending Students

a) C. Faralli, Le grandi correnti della filosofia del diritto. Seconda edizione con Appendice antologica, Giappichelli, Torino, 2014.

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

c) G. Bongiovanni, G. Pino, C. Roversi (a cura di), Che cosa è il diritto. Ontologie e concezioni del giuridico, Giappichelli, Torino, 2016 [Chapters by G. Pino, C. Redondo, A. Schiavello (Positivismo esclusivo), A. Schiavello (Convenzionalismo), D. Canale, A. Artosi, M. Brigaglia, A. Facchi].

Seminars and side lectures will be indicated during the course.

Non-attending Students

a) C. Faralli, Le grandi correnti della filosofia del diritto. Seconda edizione con Appendice antologica, Giappichelli, Torino, 2014.

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

c) G. Bongiovanni, G. Pino, C. Roversi (a cura di), Che cosa è il diritto. Ontologie e concezioni del giuridico, Giappichelli, Torino, 2016 [Chapters by G. Pino, C. Redondo, A. Schiavello (Positivismo esclusivo), A. Schiavello (Convenzionalismo), D. Canale, A. Artosi, M. Brigaglia, A. Facchi].

d) G. Fassò, Storia della Filosofia del diritt, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2001, vols. I, II, III. Five total chapters chosen by the student in volume I, or in vol. II or in vol III.

Students who are behind schedule with their exams

There are two options for students who are behind schedule (students who have registered for this course in a previous academic year and have yet to take the exam): They can choose the syllabus for non-attending students who have registered for the course in the current academic year, or they can choose the syllabus for non-attending students relative to the academic year in which they registered. Any changes a student wishes to make to the syllabus will have to be made in agreement with the professor.

Students who require a supplement of credits CFU for Philosophy of Law

1-2 credits: H.L.A. Hart, Il concetto di diritto, Einaudi, Torino, 2002, chaps. I,  II, III;

3-4 credits: Il concetto di diritto, Einaudi, Torino, 2002, chaps. I, II, III, IV, V, VI;

5 credits: Il concetto di diritto, Einaudi, Torino, 2002, the whole book.

Erasmus Students

One of the following options:

1) Option A (a+b+c)

a) C. Faralli, Le grandi correnti della filosofia del diritto. Seconda edizione con Appendice antologica, Giappichelli, Torino, 2014.

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

c) G. Bongiovanni, G. Pino, C. Roversi (a cura di), Che cosa è il diritto. Ontologie e concezioni del giuridico, Giappichelli, Torino, 2016 [Chapters by G. Pino, C. Redondo, A. Schiavello (Positivismo esclusivo), A. Schiavello (Convenzionalismo), D. Canale, A. Artosi, M. Brigaglia, A. Facchi].

2) Option B (a+b)

a) H. Kelsen, Introduction to the Problems of Legal Theory, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1992

b) H. L. A. Hart, The Concept of Law (with a Postscript), Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2012

 

Teaching methods

The course will consist of lectures and a seminar: The lectures will either cover course contents or will consist in the reading and commenting of a text related to those contents; the seminar, for its part, will select an issue for in-depth study.

All the information relative to the course, along with any notice, will be available online at

http://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/giorgio.bongiovanni

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

Assessment methods

Student performance will be assessed through a final oral exam. Students registering for the exam must so do using the University's computer network Almaesami. 

The final exam is meant to test not only the students' knowledge of the main developments of the history of legal philosophy up to the contemporary debate, but also their understanding of the complex theoretical issues discussed during the course. Hence, the exam will not necessarily dwell on specific textual passages but will rather test the students' ability to argue a philosophical thesis and understand the problems connected to it. Normally, the oral examination consists of a series of questions on the texts of the course, and the final grade is the result of an average of the results of the answers to these questions. When students achieve an organic view of the issues addressed in lectures, demonstrating a mastery of the specific terminology and conceptual framework of the discipline, they will be assessed with marks of excellence. Lack of concision and the usage of language and terminology which are not always appropriate will lead to a fair evaluation; knowledge gaps and inappropriate language - although in a context of acceptable knowledge - will not go beyond the grade threshold “sufficient”. Knowledge gaps (such as to have ignored some of the texts in the program for the course), inappropriate language, and lack of any overall view of the basic issues discussed in textbooks and during the course that will lead to an insufficient assessment.

 

Students will be recognized as having attended the course in the current academic year only if they will bring at the exam the relevant attendance form filled out and signed during the course. Attending students will possibly be tested on the specific content of the lectures listed in the form they have signed.The attendance form (and the qualification of attending student) will be valid only for the exams of the academic year of attendance.

Students will be able to take the exam starting in January 2020. There are no prerequisites that need to be satisfied for eligibility to take this exam.    

Teaching tools

These include slides and handouts summarizing the main course topics, the reading and commenting of texts in class, the focus seminar, and tests by which to assess student performance.

Supplemental course material (slides, tests to asses performance, arguments of discussion) will be available via web on the site

http://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/giorgio.bongiovanni

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 Justice

• Legal Logic and Argumentation

• Sociology of Law

• Applied Ethics

Office hours

See the website of Giorgio Bongiovanni