Philosophy Commons^™

A Violent Reconciliation: Exploring The Rule Of Law, Violence, And States Of Exception Through John Ford’S The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance And Christopher Nolan’S The Dark Knight, Nathan Donarum

Senior Projects Fall 2011

Is it possible for extralegal action, or violence, to be reconciled with the rule of law? This is a question that intrudes upon the idea that, as Aristotle stated, “Law should govern.” In essence, the rule of law is supposed to exist to prevent, or to transition from, the arbitrary use of power and deployment of force. If the rule of law exists, then there need not be arbitrary action. But if the transition to, or re-instating of, an ordered state requires a lawless act, or acts, inherently, then no stark dichotomy between the rule of law and violence can …