Information Package / Course Catalogue
Philosophy of Law
Course Code: FEL447
Course Type: Area Elective
Couse Group: First Cycle (Bachelor's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 2
Prt.: 0
Credit: 2
Lab: 0
ECTS: 5
Objectives of the Course

To learn the main problems of philosophy of law from its beginning to today and to discuss these problems by relating them with the contemporary problems and by reading the ideas of philosophers, in accordance with the concepts such as “rule”, “justice”, “right”.

Course Content

To evaluate the mainstream discussions of philosophy of law, in accordance with the concepts such as “rule”, “justice”, “sovereignty”, “natural law”, “positive law”, “constitution” and to investigate the philosophers thoughts about law.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes
1.At the end of this course the students will be able to learn the main concepts of the philosophy of law.
2.The students will be able learn the main problems of philosophy of law.
3.The students will be able to think upon the contemporary problems of law of philosophy.
4.The students will be able to learn the approaches of several philosophers about the concepts of “justice” and “natural law”.
5.The students will be able to gain insight about the problems in the philosophy of law and do research in order to find some solution of them.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Aristoteles, Politika, (çev. Mete Tunçay), Remzi Kitabevi
2.Aristoteles, Nikomakhosa Etik, (çev.Saffet Babür), Ankara: Ayrac¸ Yayınevi
3.Platon, Yasalar, (çev. Candan Şentuna&Saffet Babür), Kabalcı Yayınları.
4.Platon, Devlet, I·s¸ Bankası Yayınları.
5.Vecdi Aral, Hukuk Felsefesinin Temel Sorunları
6.Kemal Gözler, Hukukun Temel Kavramları.
7.Adnan Güriz, Hukuk Felsefesi, Ankara: Siyasal Kitabevi
8.Hegel, Georg W. F., Hukuk Felsefesinin Temel Prensipleri, I·stanbul: Sosyal Yayınları, 2004
9.Kelsen, Hans, General Theory of Law and State, New Jersey: Harvard University Press, 2006
10.Schmitt, Carl, Siyasal I·lahiyat, (c¸ev. Emre Zeybekogˆlu) Ankara: Dost Kitabevi, 1996
11.David Bruce Ingram, Hukuk Felsefesi, Fol Yayınları
12.Raymon Wacks, Hukuk Felsefesine Kısa Bir Giris¸, Tekin Yayınları
13.Straus, Leo, (2011) Dogˆal Hak ve Tarih, (Murat Ers¸en, Petek Onur, C¸ev.). I·stanbul: Say Yayınları.
14.J.Rawls, Bir Adalet Teorisi, (çev. Vahdet Ahsen Coşar), Phoenix Yayınları.
15.Michael Sandel, Adalet, BigBang Yayınları
16.Dworkin R. Law’s Empire, Harvard University
17.Ioanna Kuçuradi, İnsan Hakları Kavram ve Sorunları, Türkiye Felsefe Kurumu
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
The main concepts and problems of philosophy of law
Week 2 - Theoretical
The natural law in the ancient philosophy
Week 3 - Theoretical
The theories of sovereignty in the modern history and the distinction between “natual law” and “positive law”
Week 4 - Theoretical
The concept of “natural law” in the views of Cicero, Grotius, Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau
Week 5 - Theoretical
Kant and theory of law
Week 6 - Theoretical
Kant and theory of law
Week 7 - Theoretical
Hegel’s theory of law
Week 8 - Theoretical
The concept of natural law in the 20th century
Week 9 - Theoretical
Theory of law in Kelsen, Hart ve Schmidt
Week 10 - Theoretical
John Rawls' the theory of justice
Week 11 - Theoretical
Dworkin’s theory of law
Week 12 - Theoretical
Human Rights, Ethics and Law
Week 13 - Theoretical
We compare the function of ethics as ground of human rights with the function of natural rights. We compare what is in the foundation of ethics with what is in the foundation of natural rights.
Week 14 - Theoretical
Debate on the similarities and differences between the principles of natural rights and the ethical principles. Differences and peculiarities of the law based on the morals and law based on ethics.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Assignment1%20
Midterm Examination1%20
Final Examination1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory141242
Reading140228
Midterm Examination120222
Final Examination130030
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)122
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
PÇ-9
PÇ-10
PÇ-11
PÇ-12
PÇ-13
PÇ-14
PÇ-15
PÇ-16
PÇ-17
OÇ-1
2
1
OÇ-2
2
3
OÇ-3
4
3
OÇ-4
2
3
OÇ-5
2
2
2
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026