Natural Rights and the American Constitutional Experience January 30, 2009

Hosted by: The Tocqueville Forum

The Declaration of Independence states that the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are self-evident, and today, the use of rights language is dominant in U.S. political rhetoric and courts. The U.S. seems to be a regime based on rights. In this conference we bring together some of the best thinkers to discuss the idea of natural rights in relation to our American Constitution and way of life. They will address such pressing questions that are at the forefront of our American political process: What is the origin of natural rights and how are they related to the rights in the Constitution? Was the Constitution established to protect natural rights, create them, or promote natural law? How should Supreme Court Judges view natural rights in relation to their decision making on Constitutional cases?

Official Website: http://government.georgetown.edu/tocquevilleforum/63465.html