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Legal Education, Philosophy And Values Consciousness Of The Law Student, Seow Hon Tan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The value of teaching philosophy in law schools has been the subject of considerable debate, with detractors in practice and academia questioning its utility for professional practice. This paper suggests that teaching legal philosophy in law schools is necessary to challenge the law student to develop her own theory about law, its legitimacy, and its relation to justice, morality, power and rationality. Through such theoretical understanding, the law student acquires a sensitivity to, and concern for, the ideals underlying the law. Only when students’ hearts and minds are critically engaged on fundamental questions may they meaningfully understand their role and …