Global Developments

Abstract

This chapter prepares for subsequent sections of the volume which will examine the evolving meaning of the concept of contract in law, the changing function of contract throughout the history of legal systems in Western civilizations, and, finally, the alleged “death of contract” in twentieth-century law in the United States’ tradition of common law. ¹ Contract, in both theory and praxis, is regarded from the point of view of legal semiotics as a referent sign, or interpretant in Peirce’s terminology. In common law the concept of contract is closely related to the ideas of legal cause and consideration. ² This chapter also leads up to investigation of causation in law.