Law Like Love

Murphy, Jeffrie

Abstract

Law Like Love

Jeffrie G. Murphy

Arizona State University College of Law

Syracuse Law Review, Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 15-32, 2004

Abstract:
This is a transcript of the Kharas Distinguished Lecture that was delivered in March of 2004 at Syracuse University College of Law. John Rawls has famously said that justice is the first virtue of social and legal institutions. This lecture seeks to open a discussion of the question: What would law - particularly criminal law - be like if we regarded love (agape) as the first virtue of social and legal institutions? The lecture discusses punishment - including capital punishment - in a framework of love, and critically considers the claim frequently made that love-based forgiveness is inconsistent with capital punishment and perhaps with all punishment.

Accepted Paper Series

Date posted: March 9, 2005

Suggested Citation

Murphy, Jeffrie G., Law Like Love. Syracuse Law Review, Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 15-32, 2004. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=682183

Contact Information

Jeffrie G. Murphy (Contact Author)

Arizona State University College of Law ( email )

Box 877906
Tempe, AZ 85287-7906
United States
(480) 965-5856 (Phone)
(480) 965-2427 (Fax)