The Path Of The Law

The Path of the Law is a renowned essay written by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., a prominent American jurist and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The essay was first published in the Harvard Law Review in 1897 and has since become a seminal work in the field of legal philosophy.In this essay, Holmes argues that the law is not based on abstract moral principles or natural rights, but rather on the practical considerations of society. He asserts that the law is a prediction of what the courts will do in a given situation, rather than a set of rules or commands.Holmes also discusses the importance of legal education and the role of judges in shaping the law. He believes that judges should be guided by their own sense of justice, but also recognize the limits of their power and the need for consistency in legal decisions.Overall, The Path of the Law is a thought-provoking and influential essay that continues to shape legal thinking today.I take it for granted that no hearer of mine will misinterpret what I have to say as the language of cynicism. The law is the witness and external deposit of our moral life. Its history is the history of the moral development of the race. The practice of it, in spite of popular jests, tends to make good citizens and good men. When I emphasize the difference between law and morals I do so with reference to a single end, that of learning and understanding the law.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.