Liam Murphy is invited by the assembly of the Collège de France, on the proposal of Pr Samantha Besson. As part of the agreement signed between Collège de France and New York University.
The lecture is in English.
Abstract
Some legal practices, such as the private law of obligations and property, are justified by the good that general compliance with their rules brings about. It cannot be said, however, that each particular act of compliance by individuals itself contributes to that good outcome. And yet there is clearly an ethical tie between individuals and the rules of the practices. Leaving aside cases where the law simply protects independent moral rights, the same points can be made about compliance with law generally. This lecture explores the question of how we should understand the ethical tie between individuals and legal practices that are justified in terms of the social good produced by general compliance. An imperfect duty of impartial beneficence will play a central role in the account.
