natural law

Myth of Birthright Citizenship with Prof. Richard Epstein

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Our latest Anchoring Truths Podcast returns to a topic discussed at the beginning of the summer which has only added resonance since: the true meaning of birthright citizenship under the Fourteenth Amendment. Our guest is a true giant of the American legal academy—Richard A. Epstein. Laurence A. Tisch Professor of Law at NYU, Director of

A Proposal for the Future of Originalism & Natural Law

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Since the 1980s, the American conservative legal movement has been increasingly dominated by originalism and textualism. The theories have taken many forms over the years, starting with a focus on interpreting law by finding the original intent of the lawmaker. Today, the most popular view seems to be that judges should interpret the law according

Hadley Arkes on America at 250, Natural Law, and Natural Rights for The After Dinner Scholar, Wyoming Catholic College Podcast

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JWI Founder and Co-Director Hadley Arkes sits down with faculty at Wyoming Catholic College on their podcast The After Dinner Scholar to discuss the Natural Law philosophy of the Founding Fathers and the origin of theories of Natural Rights. Listen to Prof. Arkes as he explains first principles, and their place in the law and

The Declaration Matters to Citizenship: Disappointment in Trump v. Barbara

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John Roberts made an earnest, scholarly effort to deal with birthright citizenship, but on this eve of July 4th, he found himself saying some staggering things at odds with the Declaration of Independence and the regime it brought forth. For he proclaimed that “citizenship, then [at the Founding] was the right to have rights.” That is nothing less than a

Dr. Matthew Spalding on the Declaration of Independence and “The Making of the American Mind”

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For the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we are pleased to share an intimate discussion with Dr. Matthew Spalding whose timely new book The Making of the American Mind explores the philosophic underpinnings of and story behind the Declaration. Please enjoy this special Anchoring Truths episode as a celebration of our nation’s Independence

VIDEO: Dr. Matthew Spalding on the Declaration of Independence & “The Making of the American Mind”

Screenshot 2026 06 22 152737

For the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we are pleased to share an intimate discussion with Dr. Matthew Spalding whose timely new book The Making of the American Mind explores the philosophic underpinnings of and story behind the Declaration. Please enjoy this special Anchoring Truths episode as a celebration of our nation’s Independence

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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