Justice as Friendship

Reviews / Votes

'This is an impressive piece of scholarship that will constitute an important contribution to contemporary debates about the nature of law, its normativity and authority, and its relationship to justice (and morality more generally). Seow Hon Tan makes excellent use of the work of contemporary writers in jurisprudence and political philosophy, drawing on their insights and, where appropriate, offering thoughtful and measured criticism. In dealing with other writers, she is consistently fair minded. In her expositions, she presents the arguments of opponents in the best possible light, and makes a serious effort to engage possible lines of counterargument they or their supporters might advance against her criticisms. I find this highly commendable. This is highly original work, though, as I say, it engages the ideas of many of the leading scholars in the field today. There is not another book quite like it. No informed person will read it and say, Oh she's just rehashing the arguments of ....? Critics, I believe, will mainly be drawn from the legal positivist and utilitarian schools. The former will want to defend the idea of a purely descriptive legal theory; the latter will quarrel with Seow Hon Tan's Aristotelianism. Honest critics will acknowledge that Seow Hon Tan is a worthy adversary. There is every reason for optimism that the book's publication will provoke some illuminating debates.' Robert George, Princeton University, USA 'This book in the legal idealist tradition treats friendship? as a model for the practical orientation of law. It will be of considerable interest not only to those who debate the concept of law but also to those who wonder how positions taken in those debates might engage with the doctrinal questions of substantive law.' Roger Brownsword, King's College London, UK 'This book is remarkable in its bold originality. It conducts careful and apt discussion of a wide range of pertinent views in ethical and legal phil