Uncovering the Constitution's Moral Design [Hardcover]

Paul R. DeHart (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0826217605 | ISBN-13: 978-0826217608 | Publication Date: October 28, 2007 | Edition: 1

Rejecting the standard approach of the intellectual historian, DeHart applies the method of inference to the best explanation to ascertaining our Constitution s moral meaning. He distinguishes the Constitution s intention from the subjective intentions of the framers, teasing out presuppositions that the document makes about the nature of sovereignty, the common good, natural law, and natural rights. He then argues that the Constitution constrains popular sovereignty in a way that entails a real common good, transcendent of human willing and promotive of human well being; but he points out that while the Constitution presupposes a real common good, it also implies a natural law that prescribes the common good. In critiquing previous attempts at describing and evaluating the Constitution s normative framework, DeHart demonstrates that the Constitution s moral framework corresponds largely to classical moral theory.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The remarkable achievement of this [book] is that the case DeHart makes for the moral telos of the Constitution has been made now in a way that must be utterly compelling to anyone who has not closed his mind entirely to the canons of reason. This is a rare and remarkable achievement. I know of nothing else that does the work this well." --Hadley Arkes, author of First Things

About the Author

Paul R. DeHart is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 328 pages
• Publisher: University of Missouri Press; 1 edition (October 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826217605
• ISBN-13: 978-0826217608
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,874,304 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.