Articles tagged as Declaration of Independence
-
PODCAST: Glenn Ellmers on The Soul of Politics
Claremont Institute senior fellow Glenn Ellmers joined JWI Deputy Director Garrett Snedeker and JWI Intern Seth Root to discuss his forthcoming book, The Soul of Politics: Harry V. Jaffa and the Fight for America. In the podcast, we discussed Jaffa’s views on the moral roots of the American regime and Jaffa’s books, Crisis of the […] -
The American Regime and Its Moral Ground: Hadley Arkes at Real Clear Public Affairs
In an essay for the 1776 Series at Real Clear Public Affairs, JWI Founder and Director Hadley Arkes discusses the moral axioms that pre-existed the Constitution as understood by President Abraham Lincoln. Prof. Arkes retells Lincoln’s teaching that the Constitution was made for the Union, and not the Union for the Constitution, which shows the […] -
DEBATE: Prof. Hadley Arkes vs. Prof. Lee Strang at the Federalist Society
JWI Founder and Director Hadley Arkes debated University of Toledo Law School Professor Lee Strang on the question, “Should the Declaration inform the Constitution?”. Watch the full debate on the Federalist Society’s YouTube page here. -
“In Defense of ‘A Better Originalism'” – Prof. Hadley Arkes in Law & Liberty
In an essay for Law & Liberty, James Wilson Institute Founder and Director Prof. Hadley Arkes defends JWI’s recent call in The American Mind for judges to adopt an “originalism of moral substance” against criticism by John Grove. Prof. Arkes argues that Grove misconstrues the nature of moral truths and their role in adjudication, which […] -
“A Better Originalism” – Arkes and Snedeker in The American Mind
A new statement of purpose published in The American Mind, written by Prof. Hadley Arkes, Garrett Snedeker, Joshua Hammer, and Matthew Peterson calls upon conservatives to adopt an originalism of moral substance. The authors write: “We are faced with a moment of political crisis. The Biden administration seeks to fundamentally transform the United States by […] -
“Toward a New Jurisprudential Consensus: Common Good Originalism” – Josh Hammer in Public Discourse
In an essay for Public Discourse, JWI Affiliated Scholar Josh Hammer implores conservatives to embrace a new approach to originalism that emphasizes the common good. He argues that originalism has become entirely unmoored from conservatism rightly understood, particularly in light of Justice Gorsuch’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County. It must be replaced by a […] -
“Civic Virtue as Moral Facts: Recovering the Other Half of Our Founding” – Professor Daniel Mahoney in RealClearPublicAffairs
In an essay for Real Clear Public Affairs, Professor Daniel Mahoney of Assumption University argues that the American Founding presupposed a belief in moral facts and the immutability of human nature. The Founding Fathers, and the American people more broadly, understood that society required a strong moral foundation. They knew that self-government required a virtuous […] -
The President’s Advisory 1776 Commission Releases “The 1776 Report”
The President’s Advisory 1776 Commission, established to support the teaching of patriotic education, has released “The 1776 Report.” According to a White House statement, the report seeks to present “a definitive chronicle of the American founding, a powerful description of the effect the principles of the Declaration of Independence have had on this Nation’s history, and […] -
“‘Unalienable Rights’ Made America Great”: Josh Craddock in Newsweek
JWI Affiliated Scholar Josh Craddock lauded the recent draft report of the State Department’s Commission on Human Rights in a new article for Newsweek. He broke down the distinction between the American tradition of natural rights and the progressive preoccupation with pragmatic positive rights. Craddock roots the American rights tradition in the Declaration of Independence […] -
“Conservative Jurisprudence Without Truth”: Prof. Hadley Arkes in First Things
In First Things, JWI founder and director Prof. Hadley Arkes criticizes conservative commentators who have taken greater issue with the legal methodology in Justice Neil Gorsuch’s Bostock v. Clayton County opinion than with the fundamental moral claims the decision makes. At the core of the opinion, Prof. Arkes claims, is a fundamental rejection of human […]