Year: 2022
Author: O’Hara, Laurence
Der Staat, Vol. 61 (2022), Iss. 1 : pp. 1–31
Abstract
Intuitions in Normative Government Work
Psychological Challenges to the Rechtsstaat
The paper discusses recent developments in the psychology of normative judgment, and their implications for reasoning in government and public law. Even though the formerly hyped theories about dual processes of moral cognition and “intuitive deontology” have largely not lived up to their promises, patterns of intuitive thinking remain an important conceptual challenge. It cannot be maintained that intuitions all stem from morally irrelevant evolutionary chance (let alone that consequentialism derives from purely deliberative, rational considerations). But they can clearly lead to legally impermissible value judgments. Since they are ubiquitous, they require institutional responses. Unlike moral philosophy, law in the German doctrinal tradition possesses potent methodologies and discourse-based procedures, by which it can rationalize decisions and reduce their intuitive portions. However, an analysis of the most important decision standards (especially for balancing decisions) quickly shows that intuitions not only remain but play influential roles in hard cases. Legal programming of government action therefore needs a concept of its dealing with intuitions. At a time where the state simultaneously faces unprecedented demands of respect for individuals’ personalities and growing division within society along the lines of moral convictions, it must ensure that its own value judgments are rational – and determine to which extent private judgments are legitimate subjects of public policy.
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Journal Article Details
Publisher Name: Global Science Press
Language: German
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3790/staa.61.1.1
Der Staat, Vol. 61 (2022), Iss. 1 : pp. 1–31
Published online: 2022-01
AMS Subject Headings: Duncker & Humblot
Copyright: COPYRIGHT: © Global Science Press
Pages: 31
Author Details
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurence O’Hara: Intuitionen in der staatlichen Normarbeit. Wertungsgründe im Recht des psychologisch aufgeklärten Staates zwischen utilitaristischer Rechtsstaatskritik und identitätspolitischem Misstrauen | 1 | ||
| Einleitung | 1 | ||
| I. Intuitive Staatspraxis im öffentlichen Recht | 4 | ||
| 1. Abwägung | 5 | ||
| 2. Auslegung und Subsumtion | 1 | ||
| 3. Rechtsetzung | 1 | ||
| II. Annahmen | 1 | ||
| 1. Erlernbarkeit von Intuitionen | 1 | ||
| 2. Kulturelle Evolution | 1 | ||
| 3. Moralempfinden bei Laien und normwissenschaftliche Arbeit | 1 | ||
| III. Folgen für die staatliche Steuerung: „Intuitionenordnung” als Gegenstand von Recht und Politik | 2 | ||
| 1. Sinngehalte tradierter Intuitionen – Maßstäbe für die Fortentwicklung von Recht? | 2 | ||
| 2. Rechtsstaat als Mechanismus kognitiver (Selbst-)Disziplinierung | 2 | ||
| 3. Entwicklungsformen und -felder im öffentlichen Recht | 2 |