Law, Nature and Society

Teacher(s)

Frison Christine (compensates Lazaro Christophe); Lazaro Christophe;

Language

French

Main themes

The objective of this course is to introduce students to the concept of natural law and to highlight the specific ways in which this concept and its various philosophical interpretations question the normative foundations of law. More broadly, this course aims at grasping the potential meaning and relevance of natural law in modern secular societies, as a tool to evaluate the legitimacy of some contemporary legal decisions and policies.
After having explored the history of this legal concept (from the ancient world through modernity, until the emergence of human rights), the course will take a more practical dimension. The contemporary relevance of natural law will be critically assessed by examining a series of epistemic figures which drastically question the legal implications derived from the very idea of (human) nature: the animal, the stranger, the woman, the worker, the rebel, the double, and the monster. In particular, the analysis of these figures will allow to question the model of the rational, free and autonomous (legal) subject. The analysis of the issues raised by these marginal, if not marginalized figures, will enable students to develop critical thinking on various legal issues marked by a strong axiological dimension.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	After having successfully completed the course the student is expected to be able to: -       Discriminate between different types of arguments (empirical, ontological, normative, etc.). -       Master the core categories of natural law, its conceptual tools and its key theories -       Apply these theories to concrete cases -       Demonstrate autonomy in the way of thinking -       Articulate thoughts effectively in written form and orally.

Faculty or entity

BUDR