/pdf/the-paradox-of-self-amendment-273pu1yci6.pdf

Hart's primary and secondary rules

The paradox of self-amendment

I examine the impact of the presence of anarchists among key legal officials upon the legal positivist theories of H.L.A. Hart and Joseph Raz. For purposes of this paper, an anarchist is one who believes that the law cannot successfully obligate or create reasons for action beyond prudential reasons, such as avoiding sanction. I show that both versions of positivism require key legal officials to endorse the law in some way, and that if a legal system can continue to exist and function when its key officials reject the reason-giving character of law, then we have a reason to re-examine and amend legal positivism.

The Anarchist Official: A Problem for Legal Positivism

Bentham est contraint par la maniere dont il construit son concept de regle de droit de s’interroger sur la notion de pouvoir juridique. Comment une theorie juridique de type imperativiste peut-elle integrer a son modele de regle juridique des enonces qui, loin d’imposer des obligations sous peine de sanction, conferent la faculte de produire de nouvelles regles de droit ? En s’interrogeant de la sorte, Bentham souleve l’une des problematiques les plus debattues de la theorie juridique contemporaine. De maniere remarquable, il est possible de reconstruire, a partir de ses ecrits, toute la discussion actuelle. Il identifie a la fois les propositions qui ont cours, et les objections auxquelles elles s’exposent. Plus encore, il offre plusieurs orientations en vue de l’elaboration d’un concept de norme d’habilitation original. C’est ainsi une veritable theorie des concepts juridiques qu’il est possible d’entrevoir. Elle se fonde sur une these essentielle et incroyablement moderne : la relativite de l’ontologie juridique.

https://spire.sciencespo.fr/hdl:/2441/3cr7jj61bs68cvg99gksjatb6/resources/article-gtusseau.pdf

Jereremy Bentham on Power-Conferring Laws

Empirical Complexity as a Conceptual Claim

Faculties responsible for mental phenomena

Hart's primary and secondary rules

Citations

The paradox of self-amendment

The Anarchist Official: A Problem for Legal Positivism

Jereremy Bentham on Power-Conferring Laws

Empirical Complexity as a Conceptual Claim

Related Papers (3)

“Hart’s Rule of Recognition: ‘The Foundations of a Legal System’ or a form of Customary Rule?”

Recognising Hart's Rule of Recognition: A Critical Evaluation

On the Alleged Redundancy of the Rule of Recognition