601:803. LAW AND NEUROSCIENCE (1)(W)
Patterson
“Neurolaw”_advocacy for increased use of neuroscience in legal proceedings_is the fastest- growing interdisciplinary focus of legal, scholarly and policy attention. From blogs, books, journals and conferences, the message is clear: developments in neuroscience have potentially transformative applications in law both at the theoretical level and in institutional contexts. Scholars, scientists, and journalists alike all proclaim the great promise of neuroscience for law. Research into the neural workings of the human brain_with the aid of sophisticated brain- imaging techniques such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)_will, some predict, “probably completely change nearly every area of law”. Some believe that, in time, neuroscience will “dominate the entire legal system”. Current proposals for the confluence of law and neuroscience have focused widely from specific doctrinal (i.e., legal) matters and areas of law to general evidentiary issues, philosophical questions involving justice, morality, freedom, rationality, and general jurisprudence.
This course will require students to attend a short series of seminar-style class meetings followed by the Law and Neuroscience: State of the Art Conference hosted by Rutgers School of Law- Camden on September 7 and 8, 2012. Students will write a paper for submission after the conference.
Patterson
“Neurolaw”_advocacy for increased use of neuroscience in legal proceedings_is the fastest- growing interdisciplinary focus of legal, scholarly and policy attention. From blogs, books, journals and conferences, the message is clear: developments in neuroscience have potentially transformative applications in law both at the theoretical level and in institutional contexts. Scholars, scientists, and journalists alike all proclaim the great promise of neuroscience for law. Research into the neural workings of the human brain_with the aid of sophisticated brain- imaging techniques such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)_will, some predict, “probably completely change nearly every area of law”. Some believe that, in time, neuroscience will “dominate the entire legal system”. Current proposals for the confluence of law and neuroscience have focused widely from specific doctrinal (i.e., legal) matters and areas of law to general evidentiary issues, philosophical questions involving justice, morality, freedom, rationality, and general jurisprudence.
This course will require students to attend a short series of seminar-style class meetings followed by the Law and Neuroscience: State of the Art Conference hosted by Rutgers School of Law- Camden on September 7 and 8, 2012. Students will write a paper for submission after the conference.