The Art of Constitutional Interpretation

FAIN: FA-12372-78

Walter F. Murphy
Princeton University (Princeton, NJ 08540-5228)

A book, "The Art of Constitutional Interpretation", which attempts to construct a constitutional jurisprudence for the United States and which argues that, whatever else it is, a constitution contains a set of choices among values and that to interpret it intelligently one must rank those values. The book will attempt to explain and justify both this value ranking in the US Constitution and judges' functions in helping translate that ranking into public policy. PI will also examine the problems of leadership that a Pope faces in governing a supranational, theologically oriented organization.