Essays in Legal Theory [Paperback]

The essays in this book treat important aspects of most of the major themes in contemporary philosophy of law and legal theory. All reveal the distinctive authenticity of the author's work, for he is not only a reputable legal theorist but an internationally known scholar of private law, and for many years chair of the Bielefelder Kreis, an international group of legal theorists who have jointly authored major works comparing methodologies of statutory interpretation and precedent.

As I explain in the introduction, this is the third in aseries of collections of my previously published essays in legal theory. All of the essays here but three have been revised for this volume. I now wish to record my gratitude and indebtedness to various persons. I am most indebted and grateful to my wife, Dorothy Kopp Summers, to whom I dedicate this book. I also wish to re cord my gratitude for his interest and patience to Hendrik-Jan van Leusen of Kluwer Academic Publishers. He strongly encouraged me to put this collection together, and without his efforts, it certainly would not have appeared in this timely fashion. I also wish to thank his successor, Sabine Wesseldijk, for assistance. In the course of my academic career, I have benefitted greatly from the many Comell Law School students serving as my research assistants. I have also been privileged to have the fine aid of many Comell Law School secretaries and administrative assistants. Foremost here is Mrs. Pamela Finnigan who has so ably seen this collection put together from start to finish.Preface. Introduction. Part One: General Theory of Law. 1. H.L.A. Hart's `The Concept of Law'. 2. Rudolf von Jhering's Influence on American Legal Theory. 3. Law as a Type of `Machine' Technology. 4. On Identifying and Reconstructing A General Legal Theory. 5. My Philosophy of Law. Part Two: Form in Law. 6. The Formal Character of Law. 7. A Formal Theory of the Rule of Law. 8. The Formal Character of Law - Statutoryls'