Demystifying Legal Reasoning (Cambridge Introductions to Philosophy and Law) by Larry Alexander

Cambridge Introductions to Philosophy and Law

by Larry Alexander

Demystifying Legal Reasoning defends the proposition that there are no special forms of reasoning peculiar to law. Legal decision makers engage in the same modes of reasoning that all actors use in deciding what to open-ended moral reasoning, empirical reasoning, and deduction from authoritative rules. This book addresses common law reasoning when prior judicial decisions determine the law, and interpretation of texts. In both areas, the popular view that legal decision makers practice special forms of reasoning is false.

Genres: Law

Paperback Bunko

First published June 1, 2008

About the author

Larry Alexander is Warren Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of San Diego.