Studying philosophy didn’t just make me reflect on law, it made me reflect on studying. What it means to study, why I do it. That’s been more valuable than simply doubling a degree. It made all degrees I could ever get more worthwhile.
Stijn Voogt
Law and Philosophy
What do you do now?
I’m currently doing a PhD in legal theory, which is a combination of law and philosophy. I'm exploring the relationship between the rule of law, a complex normative ideal within legal theory, and bureaucracy.
Interesting subject. What do you think philosophy has added to your education?
There are multiple ways I could answer that. Have you heard of the difference between hedgehogs and foxes that Isaiah Berlin wrote about? It’s based on a Greek allegory. The fox knows many things, while the hedgehog knows one thing.
As a law student, I learned one main thing—how to distinguish between the facto and the jure. As a philosophy student, I learned many things. I learned to think like a fox.
Okay, now a difficult one. What is philosophy?
That's maybe the most difficult question of all. I would say: philosophy is the constant reformulation of questions. So if I may reformulate your question, I would rather ask: What can we do with philosophy, rather than what it is.
Okay, what can you do with philosophy?
I can relate the rule of law to bureaucracy in many ways. For example, bureaucracy is usually seen as something to be eliminated, something we don't want to understand, but rather deal with as quickly as possible.
I think we first need to study what bureaucracy really is and how it relates to law. Only then can we understand which parts are frustrating, which parts are necessary, and which parts we can or cannot get rid of.
Are you ever irritated by bureaucracy?
Yes, and I think that’s natural. But in its naturalness, it’s also very human to be vexed by bureaucracy. Bureaucracy isn’t just a cold, mechanical system that inhibits humanity. It’s also a human way of thinking.
Do you think there’s a special relationship between law and philosophy?
I think every discipline has a philosophical component, though doctrinal studies often don’t explore it much—maybe for good reason, because it can be distracting or uncertain. But for me, there is a strong connection between law and philosophy. Law structures society, for better or worse. And philosophy gives us a lens to critically assess those structures.
What philosopher resonates with you most?
That has to be Derrida. I’ve tried to get rid of him, sometimes I just don’t understand him, but he keeps coming back. He’s haunting me, as he might say himself.