zoom_in Click to enlarge

Ronald Dworkin

▲ ▼

description Ronald Dworkin Overview

Ronald Dworkin was a prominent American philosopher specializing in legal theory. His work, particularly *Law’s Empire*, presented a distinctive approach to judicial interpretation arguing that laws should be understood through their alignment with fundamental rights and broader political principles. Dworkin's ideas are relevant for legal scholars, political theorists, and anyone interested in the relationship between law, morality, and justice.

help Ronald Dworkin FAQ

What does Dworkin mean by law as integrity?

In Law's Empire, published in 1986, Dworkin argues that judges should interpret law as a coherent expression of political morality. Law is not just a list of rules or past commands; it also includes principles that make the legal system morally intelligible.

Why did Dworkin criticize legal positivism?

Dworkin argued that legal positivists such as H. L. A. Hart underestimated the role of principles in legal reasoning. His famous example is Riggs v. Palmer, where a court refused to let a murderer inherit under a will.

Who is Judge Hercules in Dworkin's theory?

Judge Hercules is Dworkin's idealized judge who can construct the best coherent interpretation of all relevant legal materials. The figure appears in his account of how difficult cases should be decided through principle, not discretion alone.

Why is Taking Rights Seriously important?

Taking Rights Seriously, published in 1977, helped make individual rights central to Anglo-American legal philosophy. Dworkin argues that rights can function as trumps against ordinary policy goals.