Law, Morality and Rights (Synthese Library)

The Royal Institute of Philosophy has been sponsoring conferences in alternate years since 1969. These have from the start been intended to be of interest to persons who are not philosophers by profession. They have mainly focused on interdisciplinary areas such as the philosophies of psychology, education and the social sciences. The volumes arising from these conferences have in cluded discussions between philosophers and distinguished prac titioners of other disciplines relevant to the chosen topic. Beginning with the 1979 conference on 'Law, Morality and Rights' and the 1981 conference on 'Space, Time and Causality' these volumes are now constituted as a series. It is hoped that this series will contribute to advancing philosophical understanding at the frontiers of philosophy and areas of interest to non-philos ophers. It is hoped that it will do so by writing which reduces technicalities as much as the subject-matter permits. In this way the series is intended to demonstrate that philosophy can be clear and worthwhile in itself and at the same time relevant to the interests of lay people. Working Conceptions of "The Law".- Rules and Reason.- The Rle of the Judge.- Concluding Comments.- Justification as Coherence.- Precedent, Discretion and Fairness.- Rights and Claims.- Rights, Claims and Remedies.- Rights and Justified Claims.- Concluding Comments.- The Tendency to Deprave and Corrupt.- Obscenity and the Law.- Obscenity and the Law in Practice.- Concluding Comments.- Justifications of Reverse Discrimination.- Is Reverse Discrimination Fair?.- Reverse Discrimination.- Concluding Comments.- Duress per Minas as a Defence to Crime: I.- Duress per Minas as a Defence to Crime: II.- Duress per Minas as a Defence to Crime: III.- Duress and Necessity as Defences to Crime: A Postcript.- Cruel and Unusual Punishments.- Retributivism and the Death Sentence.- Punishment and Respect for Persons.- Concluding Comments.- Indexes.