Philosophy of Law and Punishment

General

Prefix

PHIL

Course Number

582

Course Level

Graduate

Department/Unit(s)

College/School

College of Liberal Arts

Description

The nature, purpose and foundations of law. Legal and moral responsibility, just punishment, the limits of authority and legal reasoning.

Credits

Min

3

Max

3

Repeatable

No

Goals and Diversity

MN Goal Course

No

Cultural Diversity

No

Learning Outcomes

Outcome

Analyze foundational questions in traditional legal theory and contemporary critical theories such as those concerning the nature of law, its authority and limits, and its relation to morality.

Outcome

Explain key philosophical issues of constitutional law.

Outcome

Analyze concepts such as harm, cause, fault and responsibility, and critically consider their use in private law.

Outcome

Analyze particular problems raised by criminal procedure such as epistemological questions concerning expertise and reliance on testimony or ethical issues regarding methods of obtaining and using evidence.

Outcome

Weigh the merits of traditional theories of criminal punishment, such as retributive and utilitarian approaches, as well as contemporary alternatives.

Dependencies

Programs

PHIL582 is a completion requirement for: