Experts
Stephen Breyer
Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court
"It's the number of people." Read More
Breyer on Public Influence Read More
Justice Breyer on interpreting the law. Read More
Justice Stephen Breyer reflects on why he has taken the step of reading his dissenting opinions from the bench, which is not a common practice for a Supreme Court Justice. Read More
The problem of keeping our dark side in check. Read More
The need for a civilizing force. Read More
Justice is about trying to create systems, rules, organizations, methods of cooperation that you see over time will tend to push societies towards what is better. Read More
Justice Stephen Breyer on how the forces of reason are sweeping the globe. Read More
A chauffeur can still beat a President. Read More
Breyer, on a dark year for the Court. Read More
When deciding a case, Breyer says, you don't know what will have consequences. Read More
Playing linesman. Read More
The Constitution creates institutions so people can decide things for themselves. Read More
Breyer's father had a different experience at Stanford. Read More
Justice Breyer was disappointed with the Seattle decision. Read More
A civic city. Read More
What are the structures going to be for making decisions internationally? Read More
Be open-minded and know what's going on in China. Read More
If you can bring out the good in people, they are capable of tremendous things. Read More
We are at risk to the forces of non-reason. Read More
About Stephen Breyer
Stephen Gerald Breyer is an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Appointed in 1994, Breyer is often regarded as more liberal than most other members of the court. He is highly regarded across the political spectrum for his pragmatic, rather than ideological, approach to the Constitution. In Bush v. Gore, which settled the controversial 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, he issued a widely respected dissent which criticized those who would decide the case on the basis of equal protection. Breyer, a Rhodes Scholar, was educated at Stanford, Oxford and Harvard. He is the author of Breaking the Vicious Circle: Toward Effective Risk Regulation. Ideas recorded at the 2007 Aspen Ideas Festival on: 7/5/07