Readers Preference Reviews

The first thing to note about this course is that it is not a lecture on the Bill of Rights from a Constitutional Law perspective. Instead it is focused on the civil liberties that form the basis for the Bill of Rights and the problems that are associated with those rights. For example, what do you do when two rights conflict? There is a freedom of religion and a freedom of speech but what happens when your religion encourages hate toward others? Or what about when it encourages the use of intoxicants to create a spiritual experience?

Several excellent lectures cover the history of the Bill of Rights including how the Bill of Rights that initially only applied to the Federal government, came to be applied to the states. Other lectures focus on some of the difficult and emotionally charged issues of our time ad viewed within the framework of the Bill of Rights. For example, Dr. Finn examines how the rights of procreation and the abortion issue relate to each other, he also examines subjects like the right to die, and capital punishment.

Another excellent section covers freedom of speech and how various doctrines have been developed over the years to deal with issues such as hate speech, indecency, and pornography. Civil Liberties and the Bill of Rights is highly recommended to anyone interested in the history, philosophical underpinnings, and application of those rights.

Lecturer: Dr. John E. Finn
Publisher: The Teaching Company
4151 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100
Chantilly, VA 20151-1232
Copyright: 2006
Format: CD, DVD, Audio Tape
Lectures: 36