Porter, Jean. Ministers of the Law: A Natural Law Theory of Legal Authority. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2010. Pp. xvi+351. $30.00 (paper).

Ethics ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 203-207
Author(s):  
Steven D. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Natural Law ◽  
Legal Authority ◽  
Grand Rapids ◽  
Natural Law Theory ◽  
The Law

On the Artifactual—and Natural— Character of Legal Institutions

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corrado Roversi
Keyword(s):  
Natural Law ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Legal Positivism ◽  
Legal Institutions ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Legal Realism ◽  
Natural Law Theory ◽  
The Law ◽  
Theory Of Law

Are legal institutions artifacts? If artifacts are conceived as entities whose existence depends on human beings, then yes, legal institutions are, of course, artifacts. But an artifact theory of law makes a stronger claim, namely, that there is actually an explanatory gain to be had by investigating legal institutions as artifacts, or through the features of ordinary artifacts. This is the proposition explored in this chapter: that while this understanding of legal institutions makes it possible to find common ground between legal positivism and legal realism, it does not capture all of the insights offered by these two traditions. An artifact theory of law can therefore be necessary in explaining the law, but it will not suffice to that end. This chapter also posits that legal artifacts bear a relevant connection to certain conceptions of nature, thus vindicating one of the original insights behind natural law theory.

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