Constitutional Illusions & Anchoring Truths: The Touchstone of the Natural Law

Religious Liberties Practice Group Teleforum

Prof. Hadley P. Arkes' book, Constitutional Illusions & Anchoring Truths: The Touchstone of the Natural Law, stands against the current of judgments long settled in the legal academy in regard to classic cases such as Lochner v. New York, Near v. Minnesota, New York Times Co. v. United States (the Pentagon Papers case), and Bob Jones University v. United States. Professor Arkes takes concepts long regarded as settled principles in our law B "prior restraints," ex post facto laws B and he shows that there is actually a mystery about them, that their meaning is not as settled or clear as we have long supposed. Those mysteries have often given rise to illusions or at least a series of puzzles in our law. They have at times acted as a lens through which we view the landscape of the law. We often see what the lens has accustomed us to seeing, instead of seeing what is actually there. Prof. Arkes tries to show that the logic of the natural law provides the key to this chain of puzzles, after which he will answer questions from our audience.

Featuring:

• Prof. Hadley P. Arkes, Amherst College

Prof. Hadley P. Arkes' book, Constitutional Illusions & Anchoring Truths: The Touchstone of the Natural Law, stands against the current of judgments long settled in the legal academy in regard to classic cases such as Lochner v. New York, Near v. Minnesota, New York Times Co. v. United States (the Pentagon Papers case), and Bob Jones University v. United States.  Professor Arkes takes concepts long regarded as settled principles in our law B "prior restraints," ex post facto laws B and he shows that there is actually a mystery about them, that their meaning is not as settled or clear as we have long supposed. Those mysteries have often given rise to illusions or at least a series of puzzles in our law.  They have at times acted as a lens through which we view the landscape of the law.  We often see what the lens has accustomed us to seeing, instead of seeing what is actually there.  Prof. Arkes tries to show that the logic of the natural law provides the key to this chain of puzzles, after which he will answer questions from our audience.

Featuring:

• Prof. Hadley P. Arkes, Amherst College

Call begins at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

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