Analytic philosophers’ recent interest in the metaphysics of social creations bred theories that proved appealing for contemporary legal theory. Many classical problems of legal philosophy are being re-framed in terms of contemporary metaphysical accounts of non-legal social phenomena.

While numerous metaphysical positions in analytic philosophy demonstrate a promising and versatile potential for explaining legal phenomena, the theoretical transplants from analytic metaphysics to legal theory require methodological caution. In particular, social ontology, although currently blooming, has not yet reached its adolescent age — its methodology, scope, and basic framework are still being crystallised. Similarly, metaphysical claims of deflationary and fictionalist positions are currently widely discussed. Finally, ongoing meta-ontological disputes place post-Quinean metaphysics itself under scrutiny regarding its methodology and scope of explanatory utility.

This workshop creates an opportunity to discuss legal theoretical research that draws from purely metaphysical theories and to deliberate upon its methodological aspects. We aim to bring together legal theorists and analytic philosophers who focus on topics most relevant to contemporary legal philosophy in order to facilitate a discussion about how to best utilize contemporary metaphysical accounts for purposes of legal theory.

We welcome submissions of papers that employ views in contemporary analytic metaphysics to illuminate currently relevant questions in jurisprudence, in particular, concerning the topics listed below.

1) General issues of legal theory. For example, the concept(s) of law, its conventional and/or normative character, the nature of legal practices, legality and normativity.
2) Legal norms and legal facts. For example, questions about existence, metaphysical nature, persistence in time, change and identity criteria of legal norms and legal facts.
3) Methodology of legal theory. For example, social (and legal) ontology and conceptual engineering, metalinguistic negotiations, conceptual design of fundamental legal concepts, etc.
4) Metatheoretical issues of legal theory. For example, metaphysical presuppositions and consequences of currently relevant approaches in legal theory.

Interested applicants are invited to submit an abstract (max. 500 words) written in English by e-mail sent to the organisers (e-mail addresses listed above) by the 9th of March 2024. Acceptance decisions will be communicated by the 14th of March. Accepted participants are required to register for the Congress according to the guidelines provided by the Conference Organizing Committee.