Philosophy of law

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Philosophy of law, also called jurisprudence, branch of philosophy that investigates the nature of law, especially in its relation to human values, attitudes, practices, and political communities. Traditionally, philosophy of law proceeds by articulating and defending propositions about law that are general and abstract—i.e., that are true not of a specific legal system at a particular time (e.g., the United Kingdom in 1900) but of all legal systems in the present or perhaps of all laws at all times. Philosophy of law often aims to distinguish law from other systems of norms, such as morality (see ethics) or other social conventions. Views about the nature of law often depend upon, and occasionally have contributed to, answers to some of the most-fundamental philosophical questions—for example, regarding the foundations of morality, justice, and rights; the nature of human action and intention; the relations between social practices and values; the nature of knowledge and truth; and the justification of political rule (see political philosophy). The philosophy of law is therefore an integral part of philosophy more generally. General considerations

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