Synopses & Reviews
Here is a simple introduction to the intellectual challenges presented by law in the western secular tradition written by one of that tradition's most revered and eminent scholars. This book provides the intelligent student contemplating a career in law with a brief yet comprehensive introduction to the subject. It also makes an ideal starting point for the general reader who is curious to explore the intellectual interest of the subject.
Treating not just British law, but the whole western tradition of law, Professor Honoré guides the reader through eleven topics which straddle various branches of the law, including constitutional and criminal law, property, and contracts. He also explores moral and historical aspects of the law, including a discussion of justice and the difference between civil and common law systems. The law, Honoré argues, is mainly concerned with the question of obedience to authority, and establishing the situations in which obedience is required and those in which it may be waived ought to be the central concern of all legal theorists.
All these issues are examined broadly and simply, keeping technicalities at a minimum. The result is a book that offers as broad a picture of western law as possible, providing an accessible overview and a firm base for further study.
Synopsis
Here is a simple introduction to the intellectual challenges presented by law in the western secular tradition, written by one of Britain's most revered and eminent scholars of law. The text discusses branches of the law such as contracts, property, torts, criminal law and interpretation. It also covers the moral and historical aspects of law, such as justice, obedience, and the differences between civil and common law systems.
Synopsis
This introduction to law is meant for people who are wondering whether to study law or are simply curious to know more about it. It is not confined to English Law, but deals with the western tradition of law as a whole. It outlines the key problems of constitutional law and of the law of property, contracts, treaties, crimes, and torts. It deals with the importance in law of forms, procedures, and interpretation and explains how law relates to government, history, and justice. In this way it vividly brings out the intellectual and practical fascination of the subject. The book is easy to read and the chapters are self-contained. Where possible, technical terms are avoided. When unavoidable, they are explained in the text and in a glossary at the end of the book. The author is a leading lawyer, legal historian, and legal philosopher.