David B. Lyons

David B. Lyons

Professor of Law Emeritus

Law Alumni Scholar
Professor of Philosophy, Boston University College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

BA, Brooklyn College
MA and PhD in Philosophy, Harvard University
Postdoctoral Work, University of Oxford

Biography

Professor David Lyons joined Boston University School of Law in 1995, teaching upper-level courses focusing on the intersection of philosophy and the law. His eight books include studies of utilitarianism and moral rights, the nature of law and legal interpretation, the work of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, and the problem of confronting grave injustices in American law and political theory.

Before obtaining his BA in philosophy and American studies, Professor Lyons studied engineering and worked for several years as a machinist and draftsman. After earning advanced degrees in philosophy, he taught at Cornell University from 1964 to 1995, where he was a Susan Linn Sage Professor of Philosophy and Professor of Law, served as chairman of the philosophy department, helped develop the Program on Ethics and Public Life and received the Clark Distinguished Teaching Award.

Professor Lyons has received major research fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). He has directed NEH summer seminars for lawyers, judges, and law professors and has taught in California’s continuing judicial education program.

A political activist since the 1940s, Professor Lyons has helped to organize community-wide forums on behalf of the BU Faculty for a Humane Foreign Policy and the Coalition for Social Justice.

Profile Types
Faculty, JD Program, Lecturers & Adjunct Professors, Part-Time Faculty, and Professors Emeritus

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Publications

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  • David B. Lyons, The Color Line: A Short Introduction (2020)
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  • David B. Lyons, Ganesh Sitaraman’s Idealized American History 98 Boston University Law Review Online (2018)
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  • David B. Lyons, Wealth Concentration, Racial Subordination, and Political Corruption, in Wealth: NOMOS LVIII (Jack Knight & Melissa Schwartzberg,2017)
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  • David B. Lyons, Reparations for Slavery and Jim Crow, Its Assumptions and Implications No. 15-43 Boston University School of Law, Public Law Research Paper (2015)
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  • David B. Lyons, Book Review: The Color of Our Shame: Race and Justice in Our Time, by Christopher J. Lebron 43 Political Theory (2015)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Utilitarian Justification of the State, in The Norton Introduction to Philosophy (Gideon Rosen, Alex Byrne, Joshua Cohen & Seana Valentine Shiffrin,2015)
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  • David B. Lyons, Professed Values, Constructive Interpretation, and Political History: Comments on Sotirios Barber, The Fallacies of States' Rights 94 Boston University Law Review (2014)
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  • David B. Lyons, Fairness, Principle of, in The Cambridge Rawls Lexicon (Jon Mandle & David A. Reidy,2014)
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  • David B. Lyons, Civil Disobedience, in The Cambridge Rawls Lexicon (Jon Mandle & David A. Reidy,2014)
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  • David B. Lyons, Natural Duty of Justice, in The Cambridge Rawls Lexicon (Jon Mandle & David A. Reidy,2014)
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  • David B. Lyons, Conscientious Refusal, in The Cambridge Rawls Lexicon (Jon Mandle & David A. Reidy,2014)
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  • David B. Lyons, Confronting Injustice: Moral History and Political Theory (2013)
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  • David B. Lyons, Reason, Morality, and Constitutional Compliance 93 Boston University Law Review (2013)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Social Dimension of Rights 44 Journal of Social Philosophy (2013)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Tenuous Rule of Law, in Civic Values, Civic Practices (Donald W. Harward,2013)
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  • David B. Lyons, Constitutional Principles 92 Boston University Law Review (2012)
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  • David B. Lyons, Violence and Political Incivility 63 Mercer Law Review (2012)
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  • David B. Lyons, Courage and Political Resistance 90 Boston University Law Review (2010)
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  • David B. Lyons, Moral Limits of Dworkin's Theory of Law and Legal Interpretation 90 Boston University Law Review (2010)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Legal Entrenchment of Illegality, in The Legacy of H.L.A. Hart: Legal, Political, and Moral Philosophy (Matthew H. Kramer, Claire Grant, Ben Colburn & Antony Hatzistavrou,2008)
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  • David B. Lyons, Racial Injustices in U.S. History and Their Legacy, in Redress for Historical Injustices in the United States: On Reparations for Slavery, Jim Crow and Their Legacies (Michael T. Marin & Marilyn Yaquinto,2007)
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  • David B. Lyons, From Politics to Philosophy, in Legal Philosophy - 5 Questions (Morton Ebbe Juul Nielson,2007)
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  • David B. Lyons, Review of Rosen's Classical Utilitarianism from Hume to Mill 18 Utilitas (2006) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Rights and Recognition 32 Social Theory and Practice (2006)
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  • David B. Lyons, Legal and Moral Rights, in IVR Encyclopaedia of Jurisprudence, Legal Theory, and Philosophy of Law (2005)
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  • David B. Lyons, Corrective Justice, Equal Opportunity, and the Legacy of Slavery and Jim Crow 84 Boston University Law Review (2004)
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  • David B. Lyons, Reparations and Equal Opportunity 24 Boston College Third World Law Journal (2004)
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  • David B. Lyons, Unfinished Business: Racial Junctures in US History and Their Legacy, in Justice in Time: Responding to Historical Injustice (Lukas H. Meyer,2003)
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  • David B. Lyons, Osad Moralny a Teoria Prawa (Moral Judgment and Legal Theory) 1 Ius et Lex (2002)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Moral Opacity of Utilitarianism, in Morality, Rules, and Consequences: A Critical Reader (Brad Hooker, Elinor Mason & Dale E. Miller,2000)
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  • David B. Lyons, Open Texture and the Possibility of Legal Interpretation 18 Law and Philosophy (1999)
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  • David B. Lyons, Hart, H.L.A., in The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy (Robert Audi,1999)
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  • David B. Lyons, Original Intent and Legal Interpretation 24 Australian Journal of Legal Philosophy (1999)
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  • David B. Lyons, Moral Judgment, Historical Reality, and Civil Disobedience 27 Philosophy & Public Affairs (1998)
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  • David B. Lyons, Mill's Utilitarianism: Critical Essays (1997)
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  • David B. Lyons, Utilitarianism, in The Blackwell Encyclopedic Dictionary of Business Ethics (Patricia H. Werhane & R. Edward Freeman,1997)
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  • David B. Lyons, Political Liberalism, John Rawls. Columbia University Press, 1993, xxxiv + 401 pages. 12 Economics & Philosophy (1996) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Civil Disobedience, in Philosophy of Education: An Encyclopedia (Joseph James Chambliss,1996)
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  • David B. Lyons, Political Responsibility and Resistance to Civil Government 26 Philosophical Exchange (1996)
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  • David B. Lyons, Utilitarianism, in Philosophy of Education: An Encyclopedia (Joseph James Chambliss,1996)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Concept of Law (Second Edition) by H. L. A. Hart Law Quarterly Review (1995)
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  • David B. Lyons, Review of Philosophical Anarchism and Political Disobedience by Chaim Gans 103 The Philosophical Review (1994) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Radical Resisters 21 Cornell Law Forum (1994)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Balance of Injustice and the War for Independence 45 Monthly Review (1994)
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  • David B. Lyons, Rights, Welfare, and Mill's Moral Theory (1994)
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  • David B. Lyons, Moral Aspects of Legal Theory: Essays on Law, Justice, and Political Responsibility (1993)
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  • David B. Lyons, Normal Law, Nearly Just Societies, and Other Myths of Legal Theory 55 Archiv für Rechts- und Sozialphilosophie (1993)
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  • David B. Lyons, Rights Revisited, in The Bill of RIghts: Bicentennial Reflections (Yeager Hudson & Creighton Peden,1993)
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  • David B. Lyons, Utilitarianism, in Encyclopedia of Ethics (Lawrence C. Becker,1992)
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  • David B. Lyons, Bentham, Utilitarianism, and Distribution 4 Utilitas (1992) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, In the Interest of the Governed: A Study in Bentham's Philosophy of Utility and Law, Rev. Ed. (1991)
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  • David B. Lyons, Rethinking "Original Intent" 17 Cornell Law Forum (1990)
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  • David B. Lyons, Basic Rights and Constitutional Interpretation 16 Social Theory and Practice (1990)
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  • David B. Lyons, Review of Red, White, And Blue: A Critical Analysis of Constitutional Law by Mark Tushnet 34 New York Law School Law Review (1989) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Review of Bentham by Ross Harrison 85 The Journal of Philosophy (1988) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, A Preface to Constitutional Theory 15 Northern Kentucky Law Review (1988)
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  • David B. Lyons, Ambiguity, Incoherence, and Evaluation in Constitutional Theory Philosophical Exchange (1988)
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  • David B. Lyons, Soper's Moral Conception of Law 98 Ethics (1987) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Reconstructing Legal Theory 16 Philosophy & Public Affairs (1987) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Substance, Process and Outcome in Constitutional Theory 72 Cornell Law Review (1987)
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  • David B. Lyons, Constitutional Interpretation and Original Meaning 4 Social Philosophy & Policy (1986)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Normativity of Law, in Issues in Contemporary Legal Philosophy: The Influence of H. L. A. Hart (Ruth Gavison,1986)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Connection Between Law and Morality: Comments on Dworkin 36 Journal of Legal Education (1986)
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  • David B. Lyons, Review of The Rejection of Consequentialism: A Philosophical Investigation of the Considerations Underlying Rival Moral Conceptions by Samuel Scheffler 95 Ethics (1985) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Derivability, Defensibility, and the Justification of Judicial Decisions 68 The Monist (1985)
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  • David B. Lyons, Formal Justice and Judicial Precedent 38 Vanderbilt Law Review (1985)
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  • David B. Lyons, Justification and Easy Cases 25 Supplementary Volume - Archiv für Rechts - und Sozialphilosophie (1985)
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  • David B. Lyons, Utilitarianism, in The Social Science Encyclopedia (Adam Kuper & Jessica Kuper,1985)
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  • David B. Lyons, Formal Justice, Moral Commitment, and Judicial Precedent 81 The Journal of Philosophy (1984)
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  • David B. Lyons, Justification and Judicial Responsibility 72 California Law Review (1984)
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  • David B. Lyons, Reviewed Work: H.L.A. Hart by Neil MacCormick 93 The Philosophical Review (1984) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Ethics and the Rule of Law (1984)
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  • David B. Lyons, Review of Essays in Jurisprudence and Philosophy by H.L.A. Hart Times Literary Supplement (1984) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Review of The Limits of Obligation by James S. Fishkin 94 Ethics (1984) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Founders and Foundations of Legal Positivism 82 Michigan Law Review (1984) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Role of the Attorney General's Chambers in Hong Kong 13 Hong Kong Law Journal (1983)
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  • David B. Lyons, Moral Aspects of Legal Theory 7 Midwest Studies in Philosophy (1982)
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  • David B. Lyons, Review of The Authority of Law: Essays on Law and Morality by Joseph Raz 91 The Philosophical Review (1982) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Benevolence and Justice in Mill, in Limits of Utilitarianism (Harlan B. Miller & William H. Williams,1982)
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  • David B. Lyons, Utility and Rights, in 24 Ethics, Economics, and the Law (J. Ronald Pennock & John W. Chapman,1982)
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  • David B. Lyons, Legal Formalism and Instrumentalism -- A Pathological Study 66 Cornell Law Review (1981)
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  • David B. Lyons, Need, Necessity, and Political Obligation 67 Virginia Law Review (1981)
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  • David B. Lyons, Utility as a Possible Ground of Rights 14 Noûs (1980)
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  • David B. Lyons, Rights (1979)
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  • David B. Lyons, Liberty and Harm to Others 5 Canadian Journal of Philosophy Supplementary Volume (1979)
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  • David B. Lyons, Mill's Theory of Justice, in Values and Morals: Essays in Honor of William Frankena, Charles Stevenson, and Richard Brandt (A.I. Goldman & J. Kim,1978)
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  • David B. Lyons, Rights, Utility, and Racial Discrimination, in Philosophical Law: Authority, Equality, Adjudication, Privacy (Richard Bronaugh,1978)
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  • David B. Lyons, Principles, Positivism, and Legal Theory 87 Yale Law Journal (1977) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, The New Indian Claims and Original Rights to Land 4 Social Theory and Practice (1977)
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  • David B. Lyons, Human Rights and the General Welfare 6 Philosophy & Public Affairs (1977)
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  • David B. Lyons, Mill's Theory of Morality 10 Noûs (1976)
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  • David B. Lyons, Rights Against Humanity 85 The Philosophical Review (1976) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Ethical Relativism and the Problem of Incoherence 86 Ethics (1976)
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  • David B. Lyons, On Justifying Enforced Requirements: A Reply to Baier 9 The Journal of Value Inquiry (1975)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Nature and Soundness of the Contract and Coherence Arguments, in Reading Rawls: Critical Studies on Rawls' A Theory of Justice (Norman Daniels,1975)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Nature of the Contract Argument 59 Cornell Law Review (1974)
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  • David B. Lyons, On Formal Justice 58 Cornell Law Review (1973)
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  • David B. Lyons, In the Interest of the Governed: A Study in Bentham's Philosophy of Utility and Law (1973)
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  • David B. Lyons, Rawls Versus Utilitarianism 69 Journal of Philosophy (1972)
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  • David B. Lyons, Logic and Coercion in Bentham's Theory of Law 57 Cornell Law Review (1972)
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  • David B. Lyons, On Reading Bentham 47 Philosophy (1972) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Was Bentham a Utilitarian?, in Reason and Reality (Godfrey Vesey,1972)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Correlativity of Rights and Duties 4 Noûs (1970)
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  • David B. Lyons, The Internal Morality of Law 71 Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society (1970)
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  • David B. Lyons, On Sanctioning Excuses 66 Journal of Philosophy (1969)
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  • David B. Lyons, Rights, Claimants, and Beneficiaries 6 American Philosophical Quarterly (1969)
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  • David B. Lyons, Review of Distributive Justice: A Constructive Critique of the Utilitarian Theory of Distribution by Nicholas Rescher 78 The Philosophical Review (1969) (book review)
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  • David B. Lyons, Forms and Limits of Utilitarianism (1965)
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  • David B. Lyons, Baier's Test for Practical Rules Re-Examined 14 Philosophical Studies (1963)
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Activities & Engagements

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