Value Colloquium Series Presents: Professor David Plunkett, “Law, Morality, and Everything Else: General Jurisprudence as a Branch of Metanormative Theory”

Abstract: In this paper, we propose a novel account of general jurisprudence. We situate general jurisprudence within a more general philosophical project (namely, the project of metanormative theory) and claim that general jurisprudence parallels another well-known sub-part of that general philosophical project (namely, a certain core part of metaethics). Following our argument in favor of this way of thinking about general jurisprudence, we then illustrate some of its main philosophical payouts, explain how it helps make sense of both actual and possible positions within the field (including metalegal expressivism), and explore some basic methodological suggestions based on it.

David Plunkett is an Asstant Professor at Dartmouth College.