Contemporary Feminist Perspectives on Social Contract Theory

Abstract. This paper explores two feminist contributions to the analysis of the social contract tradition, comparing the political philosophy of Carole Pateman with the moral theory of Jean Hampton, to ask two questions. First, which points must feminists continue to argue in their critique of the social contract tradition today? The second question is: Can feminists actually draw anything from the social contract tradition today? It argues that Pateman's critique of contractarianism continues to be useful when read in the context of her analysis of “self‐ownership” and subordination rather than as a rewriting of the social contract. Hampton's deployment of a Kantian test for the failure of respect for personhood within domestic (and other) relationships does not undermine Pateman's position. Consideration of how such an ideal can be understood as potentially compatible with Pateman's perspective raises issues about the radical potential within claims for equal respect for personhood. In Hampton's work, widespread “test failure” can be used to indicate that political action rather than moral analysis is required. Hampton assumes that those employing the test are able to abstract themselves sufficiently from their current position to imagine what it would be to be treated as a person. It is argued that this “moral test” should be envisaged as being asked in concert with others, at which point it has the potential to become political action.     

Jurisdictional Immunities in Contemporary International Law from Asian Perspectives

This study is part of a series of inquiries being made to ascertainthe extent and practical usefulness of the part played by Asiannations in their individual and collective contribution to thenorms-formulating functions of Asian States as members of theglobal community. The current paper is confined to the threeareas of jurisdictional immunities in the practice of Statesunder contemporary international law. The first part relatesto Asian practice and the practice of other nations affectingAsian communities in regard to the Immunities of States andtheir Property from the jurisdiction of other national entities.The second part deals with the current practice of diplomaticand consular immunities, available also to ad hoc or SpecialMissions. The third part concerns the immunities accorded byStates to international organizations or in connection withthe exercise of their official functions. The final part containsconcluding observations calling for meticulous care and attentionto find a practical approach to the nature and extent of immunitiesneeded and the necessity to maintain a delicate balance betweenthe interests of the donors and recipients of immunities soas to avoid possible abuses. Asian and non-Asian nations alikeare equally grantors and beneficiaries of immunities under review.     

The Various Relations between Law and Morality in Contemporary Legal Philosophy

This paper is intended to be a summary of the author's views on the relationship between law and morality worked out over the past three decades in jurisprudence. The paper preliminarily clarifies the matter by isolating some lines of cleavage separating different questions askable about this relationship. With this done, the author argues for two theses. One, that judges are obligated to use morality in their decisions in particular cases; and two, that the morality judges are obligated to use in their judicial reasonings, is best seen as the natural lawyer sees it, namely, as being part of the law that obligates judges in their role as judges. The author not only believes these theses to be true; he also thinks that these theses are practically important, in that their acceptance by judges (and by the legal culture that reinforces judges) makes for better judging.     

Critical Rationalism: The Problem of Method in Social Sciences and Law*

Abstract. The author characterizes the model of rationality devised by critical rationalism in opposition to the classic model of rationality and as an alternative to this. He illustrates and criticizes the trichotomous theory of knowledge which, going back to Max Scheler, is received in a secularized version by Habermas and Apel, also under the influence of the hermeneutic tradition of Heidegger and Gadamer and of the so-called “critical theory” of Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno. The author criticizes historicism as it expects to be an alternative to naturalism and not to make use of the method based on scientific laws. The author proposes as an example of technological social science the model developed in economics starting from Adam Smith. With regard to legal theories, natural law is rejected because of its sociomorphic cosmology. It is proposed that legal science as social technology has two parts. One part aims at efficient interpretations of valid law (for the space-time region concerned) and a second part aims at the construction of efficient norms for the modification of valid law by legislation     

马克思主义哲学与当代西方哲学的共建

自19世纪初黑格尔完成哲学史上第一次大综合后，人类自由驰聘的理智便开始向三个方向演变，即科学哲学、马克思主义哲学和人本主义哲学。但进入20世纪后，这三大哲学就日益从分化趋向综合。西方马克思主义哲学、语言哲学、解释学、结构主义、历史主义、科学实在认，都体现了三个哲学的融合。事实上，无论是眼下哲学的发展趋向、面对的研究对象、追求的实践目标、所处的知识背景，还是即将到来的信息时代的激励挑战，都迫切要求马克思主义哲学和当代西方哲学携手共建。     

美国女性主义法学及其启示

女性主义法学以其独特的方法论剖析法律问题,提出女性问题方法、女性主义实际推论方法、提高觉悟方法以及用社会性别视角观察历史、文化、社会现象,从而展现出与以往法学理论研究的不同进路。女性主义法学是一种对女性及性别进行全方位认识的法学流派。其"硬核"已经并非单纯要求女性在婚姻、家庭、劳动就业和社会福利保障等方面享有与男性同样的权利,它更要求在分配和界定上述权利的过程中,乃至在以法律为核心的整个现代法治结构中加入女性的视角和女性的生存体验与思维方式,要求立法中的社会性别意识,从而使两性关系、婚姻、家庭乃至社会健康协调地发展。     

土地法、动产法到信息法的社会历史变迁

人类社会的发展已经由农业社会、工业社会进入到信息社会。早期的人类在狩猎经济的方式下生存,没有私有财产,也没有所有权。农业社会的基础经济资源是土地,与之相适应,土地法成为最早的经济资源配置法则。工业社会的基础经济资源是机器,于是动产法取代了土地法的核心地位。信息是信息社会最重要的经济资源,信息法必将成为一个独立而完善的法律部门。     

法治与中国当代法理学

三代领导集体的民主法制思想、法治实践与中国当代法理学息息相关 ,三者互动 ,推进了当代中国的法治进程和中国当代法理学的发展。     

法治的社会功能

法治的正功能可以概括为四个方面:通过正当化国家权力,促进价值多元化和解决纠纷而实现社会整合功能;通过降低社会交往和管理成本,促进市场效率和个人自由而实现福利增量功能;通过确立法律的正义形象,形式合理性及权威性而达到其意识形态功能;通过秉持有限理性论,破除权力迷信和确认基本的法律价值而实现法治的批判功能。如上几种功能之间有着内在的紧张关系。     

Law and Rhetoric: Critical Possibilities

What contribution can rhetoric make to socio‐legal studies? Though now a byword for deception and spin, rhetoric was long identified with the very substance of law and politics. Latterly radical scholars have foregrounded an understanding of law as rhetoric in their polemics against legal formalism, but it needs to be complemented by a critical perspective which goes beyond simple revivalism, taking account of rhetoric's own blind spots, inquiring into the means by which some speakers and listeners are privileged and others excluded or silenced. The critical potential of legal rhetoric is tested here through a review of the developing law on mental capacity and the best interests of people with disabilities in England and Wales. Much of what is at stake there is properly grasped in terms of a politics of speech: who is addressed, who can speak, who must speak, and how are they represented in judicial and media discourse.     

Concerted Practices and the Presence of Obligations: Joint Action in Competition Law and Social Philosophy

This paper considers whether, and if so how, the modelling of joint action in social philosophy – principally in the work of Margaret Gilbert and Michael Bratman – might assist in understanding and applying the concept of concerted practices in European competition law. More specifically, the paper focuses on a well-known difficulty in the application of that concept, namely, distinguishing between concerted practice and rational or intelligent adaptation in oligopolistic markets. The paper argues that although Bratman’s model of joint action is more psychologically plausible and phenomenologically resonant, its less demanding character also makes it less useful than Gilbert’s in our understanding of the legal concept of concerted practice and in dealing with the above difficulty. The paper proceeds in two parts: first, a discussion of the concept of concerted practices in European competition law; and second, a discussion of Gilbert and Bratman’s models of joint action, including a comparative assessment of their ability to provide an evidentiary target and an evidentiary platform for concerted practices.     

The Philosophy of Criminal Law: Extending the Debates

Larry Alexander and Peter Westen each critically examine different topics from my recent collection of essays, The Philosophy of Criminal Law. Alexander focuses on my “Rapes Without Rapists,” “Mistake of Law and Culpability,” and “Already Punished Enough.” Westen offers a more extended commentary on my “Transferred Intent.” I briefly reply to each critic in turn and try to extend the debates in new directions.     

刑法类型化概念与法治国原则之哲理——兼论开放的构成要件之存在根据

一、问题的提出 犯罪是符合刑法中所规定的构成要件的行为。国家从大量的反社会行为中抽出一部分危害性严重的，作为法律上的犯罪类型加以规定成为当罚的行为，这种法律上的类型就是构成要件。因此，一般认为，构成要件就是指刑罚法规所规定的犯罪类型。构成要件作为刑法类型化概念与法治国的基本原则——罪刑法定主义之间，是唇齿相依的关系。罪刑法定主义是构成要件产生的思想基础，构成要件则是贯彻罪刑法定主义的基础性工程和体现。有什么样的罪刑法定主义，就有什么样的构成要件类型。...     

“政府法治论”的时代价值

在我国行政法学中具有重大影响的“政府法治论”通过不断地修正和发展,其所涵盖的五个方面与当下我国正在努力建设的法治政府之间具有高度的契合性.这一理论对法治政府建设的指导作用主要表现在明晰法治政府内涵的方向指引、立法规制与行政自制相结合的路径选择、行政程序与救济程序顺畅衔接的程序保障三个方面.     

经济法与社会法关系考察

社会法与经济法的关系是一个具有相当理论与现实意义的问题。社会法是指国家为了救助弱者、反对歧视而制定的调整具有普遍社会意义的关系的法律规则的总称。社会法的调整领域主要包括四方面 ,社会正义理论等构成了其产生基础。经济法和社会法是第三法域下两个并行的部门法 ,两者在产生时间、目标、调整对象、公平观、调整方式等多方面存在不同。经济法和社会法应当协调发展、相互配合     

社会法的存在与社会法理论探索

我国社会法立法实践已经走到了理论的前头 ,社会法理论的研究相对滞后。社会法的生成有其相应的人文和社会背景 ,有其生成的法制环境。在全面建设小康社会的今天 ,关注民生 ,保护弱势群体的利益逐渐成为法制建设的一项重要内容。社会法 ,也称社会安全法 ,是维护社会安全、良性运行的法律。保障个体的生存空间 ,才能维系社会整体的良性存在 ,社会才能安全 ;民生得以改善 ,政治才能健康。可以预见 ,社会法会越来越受到各方 ,尤其是法学界的关注。社会法理念也会逐渐得到宏扬。