Raz's Normative Theory of Authority: An Internal Critique

VENEZIA, LUCIANO

Philosophical Enquiries : Revue des philosophies anglophones

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Lugar: París; Año: 2013 vol. 1 p. 95 - 110

2107-5646

In this paper, I will argue that there is more to Raz's normative theory than the service conception of authority. Raz's account includes further remarks on when subjects are duty-bound to comply with mistaken authoritative directives, which introduce additional normative considerations into the whole theory. In turn, I will show that the service conception is at odds with Raz's remarks on mistakes. Thus, Raz's normative theory of authority is inconsistent: it entails that, in some circumstances, subjects both have and do not have a duty to obey authoritative requirements.