Dr. Gideon Yaffe

Biography

Gideon Yaffe is the Wesley Newcomb Hohfeld Professor of Jurisprudence at Yale Law School, where he also holds professorships in Philosophy and Psychology. His research interests are centered on the philosophy of law, particularly in the realms of criminal law and the intersections of law with neuroscience. Yaffe has authored notable works, including 'Attempts', which explores the philosophical underpinnings of laws governing attempted crimes, and 'Age Culpability', which examines the philosophical arguments for leniency towards child offenders. His academic journey includes degrees in Philosophy from Harvard University (A.B.) and Stanford University (Ph.D.). Before joining Yale in 2012, Yaffe was a professor at the University of Southern California. His contributions to legal philosophy have been recognized through his involvement in the MacArthur Foundation’s Law and Neuroscience Project and as a Guggenheim Fellow in 2015. Yaffe is actively engaged in exploring how cognitive science informs legal concepts, particularly regarding issues of psychopathy and addiction, aiming to bridge the gap between neuroscience and legal accountability.

Research Interests