Radical Natural Law

Once in a generation a foundational work of political theory comes along to show us the world in a truly new light. Radical Natural Law is just such a work. In her bold reimagining of natural law theory, Josephine Donovan returns us to the neglected concept of natural essences to ground the inherent dignity of all animals in their telos as living beings. Along the way, Donovan, a distinguished scholar at the peak of her powers, upends the fact-value distinction, restores subjectivity to living matter, and smashes through conceptual logjams in ethics and political philosophy that have kept us from grasping the true nature of our civilizational crisis. Drawing on insights from such disparate currents as Stoicism, Hegelian Marxism, the Oxford women’s school in philosophy, and the phenomenology of empathy, Donovan charts an urgent new project for the 'de-reification' of the animate world. Coming at a time when the lives and dignity of all living beings are under violent assault across the planet, Donovan’s insights could not be more timely or important. This brilliant book is a must-read for anyone concerned to save our dying world. * John Sanbonmatsu, Professor of Philosophy at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, USA, and author of The Omnivore’s Deception: What We Get Wrong about Meat, Animals, and Ourselves (2025) * Josephine Donovan argues for the surprising contemporary relevance of natural law for respecting living creatures, in this fascinating retelling of forgotten philosophical traditions. From the Roman Stoics and Aquinas to 20th Century Frankfurt School theorists and the Oxford women’s school, she lays out the radical natural law foundations for protecting animals as conscious subjects worthy of dignity and care. * Cynthia Willett, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Philosophy, Emory University, USA, and author of Interspecies Ethics (2014) *