natural law
How are Natural Rights Related to Just Laws?

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?”

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
What is the Basis of “Natural Rights?”

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 …
In Defense of “A Better Originalism”
Originalism and Its Discontents
How Do Moral Judgements Underlie Positive Law?
A Better Originalism
PODCAST: Professor Scott Yenor on “The Recovery of Family Life”

The James Wilson Podcast features Professor Scott Yenor of Boise State University on his book examining the challenges facing the modern family. Author and Professor Scott Yenor joins JWI Deputy Director Garrett Snedeker and intern Peter Spence to discuss his new book, “The Recovery of Family Life”. Professor Yenor’s book explores the problems that the …