Craig L. Carr - Böcker

The seventeenth-century philosopher Samuel Pufendorf was one of the most widely read natural lawyers of the pre-Kantian era. This volume presents the basic arguments and fundamental themes of his political and moral thought. Selections from the texts of Pufendorf's two major works, Elements of Universal Jurisprudence and The Law of Nature and Nations, have been brought together to make Pufendorf's moral and political thought more accessible.The selections appear here in a new English translation which far exceeds what is currently available. The translator has constructed a rendering of the Latin that is sophisticated but clear, and the volume has been prepared with an emphasis on continuity and readability. The editor has included a substantive introduction intended to acquaint readers with Pufendorf and his political thought and to indicate why his work has relevance for contemporary political discourse.

American legal scholars have debated for some time the need for a cultural defense in criminal proceedings where minority cultural information seems perti nent to a finding of criminal responsibility in situations where a minority cultural defendant has violated a valid criminal statute. This work presents a systematic analysis of this issue. Drawing from sociological, anthropological, and philosophical materials, as well as traditional legal discussions, the authors develop a scheme that indicates when cultural factors can be used as the basis for such a defense and when they are irrelevant to a finding of criminal responsibility. The argument moves from general concerns of social justice that apply under conditions of social and cultural pluralism to practical policy recommendations for the operation of American criminal justice. It thus connects more theoretical materials with the practical concerns of jurisprudence. The justification for legal recognition of a cultural defense in American criminal law is anchored firmly in American constitutional law.

Students of politics frequently confuse politics with current events and the activities of political actors. Lost in this view is a deeper understanding of politics that emphasizes the need for governmental management of many facets of social life. It proceeds first by illustrating the need for civil organization in complex social settings and then by examining the way political culture informs the nature and degree of the political organization appropriate for a polity. Focusing specifically on U.S. political culture, the work explores American political inheritance in order to expose the enduring ideals and fundamental commitments of American political life. This permits a review of American liberalism with its characteristic emphasis upon individual freedom and basic human equality. The nature of constitutionalism and democracy are also explored in order to examine their fit with traditional American liberal ideals. But politics is also about change, and the work concludes with a discussion of the challenges the U.S. must face as the demands of political management generate pressures that might seem to erode or compromise the ideals of American political culture.

Students of politics frequently confuse politics with current events and the activities of political actors. Lost in this view is a deeper understanding of politics that emphasizes the need for governmental management of many facets of social life. It proceeds first by illustrating the need for civil organization in complex social settings and then by examining the way political culture informs the nature and degree of the political organization appropriate for a polity. Focusing specifically on U.S. political culture, the work explores American political inheritance in order to expose the enduring ideals and fundamental commitments of American political life. This permits a review of American liberalism with its characteristic emphasis upon individual freedom and basic human equality. The nature of constitutionalism and democracy are also explored in order to examine their fit with traditional American liberal ideals. But politics is also about change, and the work concludes with a discussion of the challenges the U.S. must face as the demands of political management generate pressures that might seem to erode or compromise the ideals of American political culture.

American legal scholars have debated for some time the need for a cultural defense in criminal proceedings where minority cultural information seems perti nent to a finding of criminal responsibility in situations where a minority cultural defendant has violated a valid criminal statute. This work presents a systematic analysis of this issue. Drawing from sociological, anthropological, and philosophical materials, as well as traditional legal discussions, the authors develop a scheme that indicates when cultural factors can be used as the basis for such a defense and when they are irrelevant to a finding of criminal responsibility. The argument moves from general concerns of social justice that apply under conditions of social and cultural pluralism to practical policy recommendations for the operation of American criminal justice. It thus connects more theoretical materials with the practical concerns of jurisprudence. The justification for legal recognition of a cultural defense in American criminal law is anchored firmly in American constitutional law.

This title was first published in 2000:  A systematic analysis of the concept of fairness as a moral notion. The work critically examines and rejects several familiar accounts of fairness - fairness as equality of treatment, as not taking advantage of another, as adherence to rule, and as respect for others - the author proposes an alternative account of fairness as fidelity to social practice. Drawing on examples from a variety of social practices, ranging from the requirement to do one's fair share to the fairness of lotteries and bargaining, this book outlines a new moral theory of fairness and offers insight into the various roles fairness considerations play in our lives and their limitations. Reflecting on the place of fairness and fair mindedness in moral, social, and political thought, this book will be of interest to moral, social and political philosophers as well as those in related areas such as political science and sociology.

This title was first published in 2000:  A systematic analysis of the concept of fairness as a moral notion. The work critically examines and rejects several familiar accounts of fairness - fairness as equality of treatment, as not taking advantage of another, as adherence to rule, and as respect for others - the author proposes an alternative account of fairness as fidelity to social practice. Drawing on examples from a variety of social practices, ranging from the requirement to do one's fair share to the fairness of lotteries and bargaining, this book outlines a new moral theory of fairness and offers insight into the various roles fairness considerations play in our lives and their limitations. Reflecting on the place of fairness and fair mindedness in moral, social, and political thought, this book will be of interest to moral, social and political philosophers as well as those in related areas such as political science and sociology.

Orwell, Politics, and Power takes the political writings in Orwell's literary corpus as a source of inspiration for theorizing about contemporary political issues and themes. By looking at Orwell as a political thinker, the book derives a political message from his works that may qualify as contributions to the liberal political thought. The book argues that Orwell's fears about power becoming its own end resulted from his belief that liberal political culture was under attack by social and economic forces that undermined the foundational beliefs and convictions of liberal political morality. The work of a political theorist, this analysis of Orwell's joust with political power is informed not only by the traditional materials of the history of political ideas, but also by the insights of postmodernism and Wittgensteinian language philosophy. Written in a lively, engaging manner, Orwell, Politics, and Power will appeal to anyone studying political theory, literature and politics, as well as utopian and dystopian political writings.

Orwell, Politics, and Power takes the political writings in Orwell's literary corpus as a source of inspiration for theorizing about contemporary political issues and themes. By looking at Orwell as a political thinker, the book derives a 'political message' from his works that may qualify as contributions to the liberal political thought. The book argues that Orwell's fears about power becoming its own end resulted from his belief that liberal political culture was under attack by social and economic forces that undermined the foundational beliefs and convictions of liberal political morality. The work of a political theorist, this analysis of Orwell's joust with political power is informed not only by the traditional materials of the history of political ideas, but also by the insights of postmodernism and Wittgensteinian language philosophy. Written in a lively, engaging manner,Orwell, Politics, and Power will appeal to anyone studying political theory, literature and politics, as well as utopian and dystopian political writings.

The resultant understanding of political freedom therefore defends a distinction between political and personal freedom and separates the idea of political freedom from the individualism with which it is normally associated in most philosophical literature.