Philosophy 2080 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Meeting Of The Minds, Deontological Ethics, Fundamental Breach

• School: Western University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: Philosophy 2080
• Professor: James Hildebrand

Document Summary

By definition, a contract is an agreement that is legally enforceable. It is not a piece of paper, but a piece of paper may be a document that sets out the terms of the contract. Most contracts are verbal, also known as simple contracts. When you take a bus, or a cab, or order your meal in a restaurant, you are entering into an agreement that will be enforced by law, the state. Even though you may not have thought of this activity in this way, it is true: if there is an intended legal consequence of your agreement, implied or express, verbal or written, then the agreement is potentially a contract. In philosophical terms, contract is fundamentally different than tort law. It is private law, but the parties to a contract create their own legal rights and obligations. In tort law, the court imposes rights and obligations after the fact.