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The University of Texas at Austin School of Law

Jurisprudence

  • Semester: Spring 2018
  • Course ID: 339
  • Credit Hours: 3
  • Unique: 27815

Course Information

  • Grading Method: Pass/Fail Allowed (JD only)
  • Will use floating mean GPA if applicable

Registration Information

  • 1L and upperclass elective

Meeting Times

Day Time Location
TUE, WED, THU 9:10 - 10:00 am JON 5.206/207

Evaluation Method

Type Date Time Location
Final exam May 7, 2018 8:30 am A-Z in 2.138

Description

This is a course in the philosophy of law.  More specifically, it is about learning to think like a lawyer.  It focuses on the following questions:  What is the nature of law?  What are the salient features?  What is the relationship between law and morals?  How should judges (and lawyers) reason about cases and interpret statutes?  Do we have any moral obligation to obey the law?  How have answers to these questions changed through time? How have they affected legal education?  The course is not about moral issues concerning the content of law. 

Students are evaluated on a traditional, semester-end, essay examination.

Textbooks ( * denotes required )

Billy Budd and Other Tales *
Herman Melville
Signet Classics , edition: Any
ISBN: 9780451530813
The Social Contract *
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Penguin Books for Philosophy , edition: Any
ISBN: 9780140442014
The Ages of American Law: Second Edition *
Grant Gilmore
The Storrs Lecture Series , edition: Second
ISBN: 9780300189919
Sales Store materials *

Instructors

Headshot of Powers, William C Jr. Powers, William C Jr.
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Important Class Changes

Date Updated
04/05/2018 Exam information updated
Room(s) changed