Criminal justice Quote by Sam Harris
““The U.S. Supreme Court has called free will a “universal and persistent” foundation for our system of law, distinct from “a deterministic view of human conduct that is inconsistent with the underlying precepts of our criminal justice system” (United States v. Grayson, 1978).””
About This Quote
Source Book: Free Will, 2012
The Supreme Court views free will as essential for law, contrasting with deterministic views of human behavior.
In simple terms: Law relies on free will.
Key Takeaway
Recognize legal foundations.
Themes
law
philosophy
determinism
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
legal
philosophical
When to use this quote
- legal education
- policy debate
- ethical analysis
- criminal justice reform
Key Concepts
jurisprudence
human agency
Questions to Reflect On
- How does belief in free will affect justice?
- Can law function without assuming free will?
A Different Perspective
Deterministic evidence may challenge this view.
![“Moderates in every faith are obliged to loosely interpret (or simply ignore) much of their canons in the interests of living in the modern world. [...] The first thing to observe about the moderate’s retreat from scriptural literalism is that it draws its inspiration not from scripture but from…” quote by Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b44/sam-harris-457_bible_moderates-in-every-faith-are-obliged-to_6967.jpg)
