James Seth on Natural Law and Legal Theory

Abstract

This article argues that James Seth provides illuminating contributions to our understanding of law and, more specifically, the natural law tradition. Seth defends a unique perspective through his emphasis on personalism that helps identify a distinctive and compelling account of natural law and legal moralism. The next section surveys standard positions in the natural law tradition. This is followed with an examination of Seth’s approach and the article concludes with analysis of its wider importance for scholars of Seth’s work as well as legal philosophers more generally.

Keywords: Seth, Natural Law, Legal Positivism, Legal Moralism, Morality, Rights, British Idealism, Punishment

JEL Classification: K00, K19