Prerequisite: None

Exam Type: No Exam

The concept of a right is central to both legal and moral thought. In this reading group, we’ll try to get a better sense of what rights are, what rights do for us, what rights we have, and what to make of cases in which rights seem to conflict. We’ll also try to understand who (or what) can hold rights besides individual persons. To ground the discussion, we will focus on the rights that structure our relationships with one another as private individuals, and on the legal institutions like tort and contract that give these rights legal recognition and effect. Our readings will be drawn from both judicial decisions and articles in legal and moral philosophy, but no background in philosophy is required.

Note:This reading group will meet on the following dates: 2/1, 2/22, 3/1, 3/22, 4/5, and 4/19.