Neil MacCormick facts for kids

Sir Donald Neil MacCormick (27 May 1941 – 5 April 2009) was an important Scottish thinker and politician. He was a legal philosopher, meaning he studied the ideas behind laws and how they work. He taught law at the University of Edinburgh for many years. He also served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 1999 to 2004, representing Scotland.

Early Life and Education

Neil MacCormick was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 27 May 1941. His father, John MacCormick, was one of the people who helped start the Scottish National Party (SNP).

Neil went to the High School of Glasgow. After that, he studied philosophy and English literature at the University of Glasgow. He then went to Balliol College, Oxford, where he studied law. At Oxford, he became very interested in the philosophy of law, which is about the deeper meaning and purpose of legal rules. In 1982, he earned a special research degree in law from the University of Edinburgh.

Academic Career

MacCormick started his teaching career at the University of Dundee in 1965. He then taught at Balliol College, Oxford, from 1968 to 1972.

In 1972, he became a professor at the University of Edinburgh. He held a special position called the Regius Chair of Public Law and the Law of Nature and Nations. He taught there for 36 years, until he retired in 2008. During his time at the university, he also led the Law Faculty for a few years. He was also a Vice-Principal, helping with international affairs.

Even after retiring from his main teaching role, he continued to be involved in academic work. He was the president of the International Association for Philosophy of Law and Social Philosophy. He also served on several important councils and committees related to research and European studies.

Political Career

Neil MacCormick was an active member of the Scottish National Party (SNP). He tried to become a Member of the UK Parliament several times in the 1980s and 1990s.

In 1999, he was chosen to be a candidate for the European Parliament elections. He was successfully elected as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Scotland. While he was an MEP, he took a break from his teaching job at the University of Edinburgh.

From 2002 to 2003, Professor MacCormick was part of the Convention on the Future of Europe. This group helped to write a plan for a new treaty for the European Union. He was recognized for his work, being named Scottish Euro MP of the Year three times (2001, 2002, and 2003). He finished his term as an MEP in 2004.

He also served as the vice president of the SNP from 1999 to 2004. In 2007, he became a special advisor on European matters to the Scottish Government, which was then led by the SNP.

Important Books and Ideas

Sir Neil MacCormick wrote many articles and books about law and philosophy. He focused on how law works in Europe and the deeper ideas behind legal systems.

Some of his well-known books include Legal Reasoning and Legal Theory (1978) and Rhetoric and The Rule of Law (2005). His writings explored how judges make decisions and how legal rules are understood. His final book, Practical Reason in Law and Morality, was published in 2008.

Awards and Recognitions

Sir Neil MacCormick received many honors for his work. In 1999, he was made a Queen's Counsel (QC) 'honoris causa', which is a special title given to legal experts. In 2001, he was knighted by the Queen, becoming "Sir Neil MacCormick," for his important contributions to legal studies.

In 2004, he received the Royal Gold Medal for Outstanding Achievement from the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He also received honorary degrees from several universities around the world, including Queen's University at Kingston in Canada and Uppsala University in Sweden. He was also an honorary fellow of Balliol College, Oxford, where he had studied earlier in his life.

Later Life and Death

Soon after he retired from his professorship at the University of Edinburgh in 2008, Sir Neil MacCormick was diagnosed with cancer.

He passed away on 5 April 2009.