Beginning with the deceptively simple question "What is law?" Philosophy of Law introduces readers to the basic analytical and normative issues in the field. The volume is a wide-ranging text that discusses the concepts of law, highlights key historical and contemporary thinkers who have shaped the discourse, and provides a unified treatment of the various issues in the philosophy of law.
Murphy frames the discussion with three central commonplaces about law: that it is authoritative, that it is a social matter, and that it is for the common good. Enlivened with numerous everyday examples, this text is an important resource for students coming to the subject for the first time.