Class Legal Methodology

The UC Metodology of Law is part of the first year of the BA in Law has an horizontal nature and aims at contributing to the initial training of jurists providing the capaciities to (i) understand the specific nature of legal reasoning and logic and  the social function of Law in terms of social regulation and its interaction with other scientific areas (ii) combine the technical skills dimension with ethics and values. On the other hand, the UC aims at stimulating critical thinking flexibility and problem-solving skills crucial for the jurist that operates in a society marked by complexity, uncertainty, rapid  change and high systemic risk. In the beginning of academic journey it is fundamental that the student acquires basic knowledge on key aspects of research methodology and ethics.l 

Not applicable

  1. Scientific knowledge and scientific method : the epistemology perspective. Continuity and discontinuity : the perspectives of Kuhn and  Popper. The validity and limits of science.. 2. Methodology of Law :and Philosophy of Law -concepts and distinction of perspectives. Methodoly of Law : normativist, functionalist and jurisprudential approaches. Jurisprudentialism and the school of Coimbra. .  3. Logic of Law. Logic and its evolution. Formal and material logic. Different approaches : the jusnaturalist, positivist and constructivist. Principles of Legal Logic. Theories of legal arguments. 4. Hermeneutics of Law: dimensions and principles.. 5.Law and relations with other scientific areas: dialogue, interdisciplinarity and multidisciplinarity. The interaction between Law and Science and the emergence of soft law. 6. Artificial intelligence and the future of Law. 7.Research methodology in social sciences. The ethichs of research. Practical guidelines for research methodoly in law. .       

Knowledge Cafe sessions to discuss specific controversial topics Colective analysis and discussion of exemplary adjudicative decisions 

Aldisert, Ruggero et al, 2007, Logic for Law students, how to think like a lawyer, University of Pittsburgh Law Review, vol. 69, nº1 (2007) pp. 1-22 Corrales, M., Fenwick (eds.), 2018, Robotics, AI and the future of Law, Springer Fuller, Steve, 2003, Kuhn vs. Popper - the struggle for the soul of science, Icon Books Neves, Castanheira, 1993, Metodologia Jurídica - problemas fundamentais, Boletim da Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Coimbra, Reimpressão 2013, Coimbra Editora Neves, Castanheira, 2014, O Direito como validade; in Revista de Legislação e Jurisprudència, 143, nº3984. Poscher, Ralf, The Hermeneutics of Law, in Forster, Michael/Gjesdal, K. (eds.)  The Cambridge Companion to Hermeneutics, Cambridge University Press. Prakten, Henry, 2018, The role of Logic in legal reasoning, in Logical Tools for modelling legal argument, pp.15-31, Springer Link Wacks, Raymond, 2014, Philosophy of Law - a very short introduction, 2nd ed., Oxford University Press