Kent Greenawalt dissects such issues as abortion and animal rights to illustrate secular and religious bases for decision making, concluding that citizens cannot be expected to rely exclusively on rational, secular grounds

In this book Greenawalt explores the three-way relationship between the idea of freedom of speech, the law of crimes, and the many uses of language.

Over the course of the book, he suggests how such forms of interpretation are analogous to legal interpretation--and points to those cases in which interpretation must rest on the distinctive aspects of legal theory, such as is the case ...

" In recent times, a belief in the objectivity of the law has been undermined by skepticism about legal institutions and ideals of unbiased evaluation, and a conviction that language is necessarily indeterminate.

In examining the extent of the obligations owed by citizens to their government, Greenawalt concentrates on the possible existence of a single source of obligation that reaches all citizens and all laws.

This book addresses problems such as: what bases should officials and citizens employ in reaching political decisions and justifying their positions?

The book argues against any simple "textualism," claiming that even reader understanding of statutes depends partly on perceived intent.

This book uniquely presents a sophisticated account of possible approaches to constitutional interpretation and also examines how major provisions in the U.S. Constitution are, and should be, interpreted.

In Realms of Legal Interpretation, Kent Greenawalt focuses on how courts decide what is legally forbidden or authorized, and how context shapes their decisions.