Objective law is one of mankind's noblest achievements, yet its history is little known. This course surveys key individuals who caused (or symbolized) the legal innovations which, accumulating over many centuries, enabled Western civilization to flourish under limited government.

"Reason is the life of the law," wrote Sir Edward Coke in 1628, naming this course's theme. Mr. Bowden examines the accomplishments of fabled lawgivers (such as Hammurabi and Solon)—of jurists, commentators and champions of law's supremacy (such as Gaius, Coke and Blackstone)—of unifiers and codifiers (such as Justinian, Edward I and the modern authors of uniform laws)—of constitutionalists (such as Madison and Marshall)—and many others.

The precious legacy bequeathed to us by these giants of the law will one day enable lawmakers, guided by Ayn Rand's concept of individual rights, to establish a fully objective legal system for the first time in history.