Philosophy & Law
Philosophical questions often underlie the most difficult and pressing doctrinal and other debates in the law. Achieving a better understanding of these foundational questions, and the answers that scholars have developed over the years, helps to illuminate legal practice and academic exchange in many different fields of law.
In addition, acquiring a better grasp of the analytical structure of legal argumentation will prove to be a great asset to any legal career. It is an essential skill for attaining excellence in all types of legal writing and argument, from the most practical to the most theoretical.
Faculty Research
Targeted Killings: Law and Morality in an Asymmetrical World
Claire Finkelstein and co-author Jens David Ohlin discuss how the war on terror is remaking conventional warfare — and the moral and legal issues that it raises.
Sample Penn Law Courses
- Law and Philosophy Law Courses
- 2Ls and 3Ls may explore a topic in Law & Philosophy further through an Independent Study or through an Independent Research Seminar
More Courses at Penn
Take up to four classes within the University as part of your JD. Courses recently taken by Penn Law students include:
- Formal Logic (Department of Philosophy, Arts & Sciences)
- Formal Logic II (Department of Philosophy, Arts & Sciences)
- Contemporary Ethics (Department of Philosophy, Arts & Sciences)
- Topics in Bioethics (Department of Philosophy, Arts & Sciences)
- Topics in Philosophy of Law (Department of Philosophy, Arts & Sciences)