1st Edition

Criminology and Moral Philosophy Empirical Methods and the Study of Values

By Jonathan Jacobs Copyright 2022
    232 Pages
    by Routledge

    232 Pages
    by Routledge

    The book examines some of the most important forms of normativity and the relation between facts and values in the context of criminological investigation. In recent decades numerous criminologists have argued that criminology needs to be more explicitly concerned with normative considerations and with morality and this book explains the plausibility of that view and of empirically rigorous non-positivist study of moral values. Hume is often regarded as a key figure in separating facts from values and he was a formidable opponent of moral rationalism. Yet, in his own moral philosophy he sought to explicate the genuineness and authority of moral considerations without endorsing some implausible positivist interpretations of a putative fact/value distinction. The significance of Hume’s view and its implications for the empirical study of morality are explored.

    The book discusses several layers of normativity explored by criminological investigation including:

    • The relation between law and morality
    • the concept of the Rule of Law

    • the normativity of the notion of criminality
    • the justification of sanction
    • the presence and significance of moral considerations

    This book will be of interest to students taking upper-level courses on criminal justice ethics, punishment, political theory, jurisprudence, and social philosophy.

    Preface
    Introduction  
    Chapter 1   Rules, Norms, and Values
    Chapter 2   Norms and the Rule of Law
    Chapter 3  Hume’s Moral Philosophy and His Contested Legacy
    Chapter 4  Relativism and the Study of Morality   
    Chapter 5  Some Illustrations        
    Chapter 6. Multiple Layers of Normativity  
    Conclusion 
    Appendix I 

    Biography

    Jonathan Jacobs is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Institute of Criminal Justice Ethics at John Jay College, CUNY, USA.