The Legal Analyst: A Toolkit for Thinking about the Law

by: Ward Farnsworth
The Legal Analyst: A Toolkit for Thinking about the Law
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There are two kinds of knowledge law school teaches: legal rules on the one hand, and tools for thinking about legal problems on the other. Although the tools are far more interesting and useful than the rules, they tend to be neglected in favor of other aspects of the curriculum. In The Legal Analyst, Ward Farnsworth brings together in one place all of the most powerful of those tools for thinking about law.

From classic ideas in game theory such as the “Prisoner’s Dilemma” and the “Stag Hunt” to psychological principles such as hindsight bias and framing effects, from ideas in jurisprudence such as the slippery slope to more than two dozen other such principles, Farnsworth’s guide leads readers through the fascinating world of legal thought. Each chapter introduces a single tool and shows how it can be used to solve different types of problems. The explanations are written in clear, lively language and illustrated with a wide range of examples.

The Legal Analyst is an indispensable user’s manual for law students, experienced practitioners seeking a one-stop guide to legal principles, or anyone else with an interest in the law.




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Customer Reviews
Average Rating: out of 5 stars
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - Thought provoking and not just for lawyers
It's unfortunate that this book uses the term legal in the title since that might turn off potential readers who are not lawyers. The topics covered in this book would be interesting to anyone with an interest in politics, economics, public policy, and of course law. Some of the discussion is geared a little more towards law, but it doesn't take too much thought to extend the ideas.

Each chapter gives an introduction to the topic it concerns itself with, such as game theory, slippery ... Read More

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - legal theory with real world applications
I purchased this book, like all of my legal theory book purchases, with a bit of skepticism.However, unlike most of my legal theory books, I finished this one wondering how I ever felt equipped to understand any aspect of our laws without it.This book explains some very complicated legal theories by using only the clearest explanations and examples available.The sections on Jurisprudence and Incentives are especially insightful.The chapters are very well organized.My only regret about this ... Read More

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - Excellent Book
I recommend this book to any law student. This is stuff that all my professors continually refer to, but no one ever really takes the time to explain. I've been able to participate much more in discussions and understand the implications of various policies, etc.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - Excellent Tool!
I have Farnsworth as a professor and he is great!This book will help you understand why the law is the way it is.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - This is an Exceptional book

It provides the reader with an overview of the principle methods used in legal reasoning. Using simple, but realistic examples Farnsworth shows the ambiguity facing the various parties in a legal setting. He shows how various "tools" can be used in thinking about legal problems and describes the less obvious but potentially relevant factors that must be considered in deciding the outcome.

The audience for the book is not limited to lawyers. It will be of interest to those in any profession ... Read More

 
 
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