What is jurisprudence?
Q: What is jurisprudence?
A: Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law that aims to gain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, legal reasoning, legal systems, and legal institutions.
Q: What are the three main aspects of jurisprudence that scholarly writing engages with?
A: The three main aspects of jurisprudence that scholarly writing engages with are natural law, analytic jurisprudence, and normative jurisprudence.
Q: What is natural law?
A: Natural law is the concept that there are unchangeable laws of nature that govern us, and that our institutions should conform to this natural law.
Q: What are the questions that legal philosophers may engage with in analytic jurisprudence?
A: Legal philosophers may engage with questions such as "What is law?", "What are the criteria for legal validity?", or "What is the relationship between law and morality?" in analytic jurisprudence.
Q: What questions does normative jurisprudence ask?
A: Normative jurisprudence asks what law should be like, and overlaps with moral and political philosophy. It includes questions of whether we should obey the law, on what grounds law-breakers might be properly punished, and the proper uses and limits of regulation.
Q: Who dominates modern jurisprudence and philosophy of law?
A: Modern jurisprudence and philosophy of law is primarily dominated by Western academics.
Q: Have philosophers from other traditions discussed the same questions in jurisprudence as Western philosophers?
A: Yes, historically many philosophers from other traditions, such as Islamic scholars and the ancient Greeks, have discussed the same questions in jurisprudence as Western philosophers.
