Non-instrumentalistprivatelawtheoryhasbeendominatedbyaninterpretivistmethodologythatseekstounderstandtheconcepts,doctrines,andstructuresofthelawinprincipledterms.Thishasresultedintheneglectofpurelynormativeanalysisandafailuretoengagesystematicallywiththemethodologiesofmoralandpoliticalphilosophy.Wrongs,Harms,andCompensation:PayingforourMistakesdepartsfromthisapproach,arguinginsteadthatthejustificationoftortlawisdependentonourunderlyingmoralcorrectiveduties.Inthisbook,AdamSlavnydevelopsapluralisticaccountoftheseduties,whichencompassesbothwrongfulandnon-wrongfulconduct,complicatingtheviewthattortsshouldberegardedasacoherentsetofwrongs.Healsoplacesthepracticeofenforcingcorrectivedutiesinabroadercontext,arguingthatitshouldnotbeisolatedorimmunetocritiquesbasedondistributivejustice,andthatourdutiesareinfactconsistentwithinstitutionalarrangementsotherthantortlaw,includingvarioustypesofcompensationschemes.Whatemergesisneitherawholesaledefenceoforattackontortlaw,butaninsistencethatitsnormativefoundationsaremuchmorecomplex,diverse,andmalleablethanafocusoncurrentlegalpracticeswouldsuggest.
