Literature in ethics education for the practice of legal profession: Martha C. Nussbaum's pedagogical proposal in Law studies

Abstract

Martha C. Nussbaum has said that arts and humanities are useful for the education of people in a democratic society. The objective of this article is to explain the role that literature can play in the ethical training of the legal profession according to some approaches found in the work of the American philosopher. Based on a qualitative research methodology, specifically on a documentary analysis, it is argued that the reading and critical discussion of stories, novels, poems and other literary genres, by law students, can arouse moral emotions that humanize the knowledge of legal material and promote more ethical professional practices. Based on Nussbaum's theses, it is concluded, with some examples taken from Latin American literature, that the aesthetic experience, in fact, enriches ethical judgment both in the process of teaching Law and in working life.