natural law

In Defense of Common Good Originalism

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Contributing Editor Josh Hammer defends against criticism of his Common-Good Originalism essay, arguing that ambiguities in the text’s meaning require us to give precedence to substantive ideals in interpretation.

How are Natural Rights Related to Just Laws?

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The Federalist Society released their latest installment in a series of videos featuring JWI Founder and Director, Professor Hadley Arkes, discussing the natural law foundations of our Constitution and jurisprudence. In this latest short clip, Professor Arkes explains how all laws in some way restrict life, liberty, or property. Therefore, our central question must be,

PODCAST: Jesse Merriam and Josh Hammer on “An Even Better Originalism?”

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Patrick Henry College Associate Professor Jesse Merriam and JWI affiliated scholar Josh Hammer joined JWI Deputy Director Garrett Snedeker to discuss Professor Merriam’s article, “A Better Legal Conservatism,” published in The American Mind. Prof. Merriam’s article was in response to “A Better Originalism,” co-authored by Prof. Hadley Arkes, Garrett Snedeker, Josh Hammer, and Matthew Peterson.

The Imperative of a Boring Judiciary

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Eric Hageman responds to David Forte and “A Better Originalism,” warning that illegitimate lawmaking by judges is not the solution to the current problem of an overreaching judiciary.

What is the Basis of “Natural Rights?”

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In this video from the Federalist Society’s No. 86 Series, JWI Founder and Director Prof. Hadley Arkes summarizes Aristotle’s study of human nature. Human beings are naturally social and political animals. The American Founders logically concluded from these premises that natural law means all men are created equal and that government properly exists only by

Originalism and Its Discontents

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Prof. David Forte responds to “A Better Originalism,” reminding we must look at the Constitution as a whole, both its legal presence and its moral principles.

A Better Originalism

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JWI has released a new statement of purpose in collaboration with the American mind, which calls upon conservatives to adopt an originalism of moral substance in the wake of Bostock v. Clayton County.

Anchoring Truths
Anchoring Truths is a James Wilson Institute project
The James Wilson Institute’s Mission is to restore to a new generation of lawyers, judges, and citizens the understanding of the American Founders about the first principles of our law and the moral grounds of their own rights.
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