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1、LegalTheory,8(2002),387–441.PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmericaCopyright©CambridgeUniversityPress1352–3252/02$9.50Law,Plans,andPracticalReasonSCOTTJ.SHAPIROLAW,PLANS,ANDPRACTICALREASON*ScottJ.ShapiroBenjaminN.CardozoSchoolofLaw,YeshivaUniversityI.MORALITYORCONVENTION?Americanlawyersareaudaciousbyn
2、atureandhavebeenknown,onmorethanoneoccasion,tomakeoutrageousargumentsonbehalfoftheircli-ents.YetthereisoneclaimthateventhemostshamelessoflawyerswouldnotputforwardinanAmericancourt:NoonewouldeverchallengetheideathattheUnitedStatesConstitutionislawintheUnitedStates.1Forifthereisonepropositionoflaw
3、thatenjoysuniversalacceptancebythebenchandisheldwithunshakableconviction,itisthattheUnitedStatesConstitutiondeterminestheauthoritystructureofthefederalgovernmentandislegallybindingonallofficials.Itwillnotbemypurposeinthispapertochallengethisconsensuseither.Quiteobviously,theUnitedStatesConstitut
4、ionisgoodlaw.Rather,myaimwillbetofigureoutwhythispropositionistrue:WhatmakesitthecasethattheUnitedStatesConstitutionislawintheUnitedStates?Whatjustifiestheconvictionofthecourts?Thisquestionisphilosophicallyinterestingbecauseitdoesnotadmitofanordinarylegalanswer.Thatis,thelegalityoftheConstitutio
5、ncannotbeestablishedbypointingtosomeotherruleauthorizingitscreation.TheConstitutionisultimatelawandassuch,itsexistenceaslawdoesnotdependontheexistenceofanyotherlaw.Tothecontrary,theConstitutionsetsouttheauthoritystructureofthefederalgovernmentandhenceplaystheroleasthefoundationalnormforthefedera
6、lsystem.Itvalidates;itisnotitselfvalidated.ThisquestionisquiteclearlynotuniquetotheUnitedStateslegalsystem*ThispaperwaspresentedattheLaw,Participation,andDemocracyConferenceheldattheYaleLawSchool,theUniversityofPennsylvaniaLawSchoollegaltheoryworkshop,andtheUniversityofTorontoLawschoollegaltheor
7、yworkshop,whereIbenefitedfromcommentsbyBruceAckerman,MattAdler,MichaelBratman,JulesColeman,MargaretGilbert,MarkGreen-berg,ChrisKutz,StephenPerry,PhilipPetit,ArthurRipstein,OriSimchen,MartinStone,andNicosStravropolous.1.Imagi
