作者简介
BorninMandatePalestinein1939,JosephRazgraduatedin1963fromtheHebrewUniversity,Jerusalem,IsraelwithaMagisterJuris(MasterofJurisprudence),summacumlaude.Later,withfundsprovidedbytheHebrewUniversity,RazpursuedaDoctorofPhilosophy(DPhil)atOxfordUniversityunderthesupervisionofH.L.A.Hart.Thiswasbynomeanscoincidental;RazhadmetHartearlierataconferenceinIsrael.Hartsaysthatatthismeeting,Razpointedoutaflawinhisreasoningthathadpreviouslyeludedhim.HartencouragedhimtogotoOxfordforfurtherstudy.RazstudiedatBalliolCollege,OxfordandwasawardedtheDPhilin1967.HethenreturnedtoIsraeltoteachattheHebrewUniversityasaLecturerintheFacultyofLawandDepartmentofPhilosophy.In1971,hewastenuredandpromotedtoSeniorLecturer.In1972,hereturnedtoBalliolasaFellowandTutorinLaw,becomingaProfessorofPhilosophyofLaw,OxfordUniversity,from1985to2006,andthenaResearchProfessorfrom2006to2009.Since2002hehasalsobeenaProfessorintheLawSchoolatColumbiaUniversity,NewYork.Hehasheldvisitingappointmentsatseveraluniversities,andhasalsoservedonanumberofeditorialboardsforthepublicationofjournalsandbooks.Razisacknowledgedbyhiscontemporariesasbeingoneofthemostimportantlivinglegalphilosophers.Hehasauthoredandeditedninebookstodate,namelyTheConceptofaLegalSystem(1970),PracticalReasonandNorms(1975),TheAuthorityofLaw(1979),TheMoralityofFreedom(1986),Authority(1990),EthicsinthePublicDomain(1994),EngagingReason(1999),Value,RespectandAttachment(2001),andThePracticeofValue(2003).Hisfirstbook,TheConceptofaLegalSystem,wasbasedonhisdoctoralthesis.Alaterbook,TheMoralityofFreedomwontwoprizes:the1987W.J.M.MackenzieBookPrizefromthePoliticalStudiesAssociationoftheUnitedKingdom,awardedtothebestbookinpoliticalscienceeachcalendaryear;andthe1988ElaineandDavidSpitzBookPrizefromtheConferencefortheStudyofPoliticalThought,NewYork,awardedannuallyforthebestbookinliberaland/ordemocratictheorythathadbeenpublishedtwoyearsearlier.ThekeyideasengagedinRaz'sbooksarenorms,authority,andthetheoryoflegalpositivism.Histheoryofnormsrefersroughlytorulesthatserveasaguideforhumanbehaviour.Italsoincludesthesystem(s)thatthosenormsexistin,suchasalegalsystem.Thesecondaspectreferstoquestionsontheauthoritythatlawhasoverpeopleunderaparticularlegalsystem,andtheauthoritythatsocietyingeneralshouldacknowledgeasduetothelaw.Suchquestionsareimportant,forthelawisineverycornerofsociety,affectingthedailylivesofindividualswhethertheylikeitornot.AsRazusestheterm,'legalpositivism'referstotheviewthatthereisnonecessaryconceptualrelationshipbetweenlawandmorality;alawdoesnotceasetobealawbybeingunjustorimmoral.Thetermissometimesusedtodescribetheviewthatlawseithercannotorevenshouldnotbegroundedinmorality;Razdoesnotdefendthatview.HisworkhasbeencitedbytheSupremeCourtofCanadainsuchcasesasImperialTobaccov.BritishColumbia,R.v.Demers,andSauvév.Canada(ChiefElectoralOfficer).In1987hewaselectedaFellowoftheBritishAcademy.HehasbeenawardedHonoraryDoctoratesbytheCatholicUniversityofBrussels,1993,andbyKing'sCollegeLondon,2009.In2005hereceivedtheInternationalPrizeforLegalResearch'HectorFix-Zamudio'fromtheNationalAutonomousUniversityofMexico,andin2009aVice-PresidencyAwardfromtheLawSocietyofUniversityCollegeDublin.
