Joseph Raz

Israeli legal scholar

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July 21, 2026

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Joseph Raz was a prominent figure in late 20th-century legal philosophy, working within the framework of legal positivism. He explored the idea that law claims authority, proposing the "service conception" of authority. According to Raz, law is authoritative when it helps individuals better fulfill their true obligations than they could without legal guidance. He argued that for law to possess genuine authority, it must employ source-based criteria for legal validity, such as laws enacted by a parliament. This means that norms are legally valid only because of their social origin, a concept that aligns with legal positivism. Raz's work built upon the ideas of earlier legal theorists like Hans Kelsen and H.L.A. Hart.12

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philosophy of law
Joseph Raz
Raz explored in greater depth than Hart or Kelsen the idea that law claims the right to tell citizens what they must do—what Raz called law’s claim to authority. But what is authority? Raz defended the “service conception” of authority, according to which…
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Raz explored in greater depth than Hart or Kelsen the idea that law claims the right to tell citizens what they must do—what Raz called law’s claim to authority. But what is authority? Raz defended the “service conception” of authority, according to which…
Read More