Legal Definitions - philosophy of law

Philosophy of law is the study of the fundamental elements of a legal system, including its principles, concepts, and origins. It is concerned with the theoretical and ethical aspects of law, rather than its practical application.

• General jurisprudence: The scholarly study of the law, legal theory, and legal systems generally.
• Historical jurisprudence: The branch of legal philosophy concerned with the history of the first principles and conceptions of a legal system.
• Positivist jurisprudence: A theory that denies validity to any law that is not derived from or sanctioned by a sovereign or some other determinate source.
• Sociological jurisprudence: A philosophical approach to law stressing the actual social effects of legal institutions, doctrines, and practices.

These examples illustrate how philosophy of law can be applied to different aspects of legal systems, from their historical development to their social impact. By studying these aspects, philosophers of law seek to understand the nature and purpose of law, and to evaluate its ethical significance and adequacy.