Conscience, Self-Knowledge, and Justice In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Iker Nabaskues, University of the Basque County Faculty of Law, has published Law, Science, Facts and Morals in Robert Louis Stevenson's the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as Oñati Socio-Legal Series, Vol. 4, No. 6, 2014. Here is the abstract.

English Abstract: The impressive novel of the Scottish Master, despite his surprisingly simple narrative, shows an unquestionable moral and philosophical depth and it is considered as a canon of literature. The mystery of the plot shows how conscience and self-knowledge, both core components of human condition and modern rationality make clear the limits of legal and scientific rationality. The concept of Justice is shown from the distinctive perspective of Stevenson’s narrative; complex, paradoxical and ethically unclassifiable from the perspective of systematic thought.

Spanish Abstract A pesar de su sorprendente simplicidad narrativa, la impresionante novela del maestro escocés muestra una profundidad filosófica incuestionable y es considerada un canon de la literatura. El misterio argumental de la novela muestra cómo la consciencia y el auto-conocimiento, ambos componentes esenciales de la condición humana y la racionalidad moderna, muestran los límites de la racionalidad legal y científica. El concepto de Justicia se muestra desde la singular perspectiva de Stevenson; complejo, paradójico y éticamente inclasificable desde la perspectiva de cualquier pensamiento sistemático.

Download the paper from SSRN at the link.