The aim of this course is to introduce you to legal philosophy, and to some of the main theories of the state and the law. We want you to be able to think about the big questions, like, ‘why have law at all?’ and ‘what gives law authority?’, to reflect on issues such as the relationship between law and morality, and law and politics, and to be able to approach doctrinal issues with a fresh, critical perspective. A training in philosophical arguments will help you better to understand the world, and in turn, help you to develop your skills of legal reasoning. The course covers some of the major modern philosophers and schools of thought: the social contract tradition (Hobbes, Kant, Rawls, Rousseau); Marxism and critical theory; Arendt’s political theory; theories of democracy; methodology in jurisprudence; legal positivism; the modern natural law tradition; Kelsen's pure theory; the rule of law and legality and the use and significance of legal and moral principles in adjudication.