Contemporary Natural Law Theory: Finnis and Beyond

Article


Crowe, Jonathan. 2024. "Contemporary Natural Law Theory: Finnis and Beyond." USQ Law Society Law Review. 5 (1), pp. 5-22.
Article Title

Contemporary Natural Law Theory: Finnis and Beyond

Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsCrowe, Jonathan
Journal TitleUSQ Law Society Law Review
Journal Citation5 (1), pp. 5-22
Number of Pages18
Year2024
PublisherUniversity of Southern Queensland Law Society
Place of PublicationAustralia
ISSN2653-1100
Web Address (URL)https://issuu.com/usqls_lawreview/docs/usqls_law_review_volume_5_issue_1_2024_-_final_ed
Abstract

One of the main factors driving the contemporary revival of natural law theory was the publication of John Finnis’s important book, Natural Law and Natural Rights, in 1980. This article begins by discussing some of Finnis’s most enduring contributions to natural law thought. I focus here on three main ideas: the central case methodology; the foundational role of basic goods; and the role of law in promoting the common good. The article then moves to some significant developments in recent work on natural law theory. I show how these developments have put pressure on the core components of Finnis’s theory and discuss what they tell us about natural law thought beyond the Finnisian paradigm.

KeywordsContemporary Natural Law
Contains Sensitive ContentDoes not contain sensitive content
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020480410. Legal theory, jurisprudence and legal interpretation
Public Notes

File reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher/author/creator.

Byline AffiliationsSchool of Law and Justice
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