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EMPATHY, JUSTICE, AND JURISPRUDENCE
Author(s) -
DEIGH JOHN
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the southern journal of philosophy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.281
H-Index - 21
eISSN - 2041-6962
pISSN - 0038-4283
DOI - 10.1111/j.2041-6962.2011.00058.x
Subject(s) - empathy , interpretation (philosophy) , jurisprudence , supreme court , economic justice , law , psychology , political science , sociology , social psychology , philosophy , linguistics
This paper uses a study of the opinions in a case recently decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. , to explain the role of empathy in legal interpretation. I argue for two theses: (1) that empathy is essential to an interpretation of law if that interpretation is to serve the interests of justice and (2) that no interpretation of a law is sound if it ignores whether so interpreting the law serves the interests of justice.