In this thought-provoking episode of the Heavily Accented Philosophy of Law Podcast, we speak with Antonia M. Waltermann, assistant professor of legal theory and philosophy at Maastricht University, about non-human agents, the construction of legal reality, and the role of legal education. What does it mean to be an agent, and can non-human entities like AI be considered agents in a legal sense? Waltermann guides us through the complexities of legal personhood and agency, highlighting how legal reality itself can be viewed as socially constructed—and how non-human actors might play a role in that process.
We also explore how legal education participates in shaping legal reality through its influence on human agents, course content, and institutional design. Drawing on her rich academic background—including work on sovereignty, law and cognitive science, and non-human agency—Waltermann emphasizes why broadening our understanding of legal agency is essential for modern jurisprudence. Tune in for a compelling discussion that bridges legal theory, social ontology, and the future of law in a technologically mediated world.