“Jurisprudence” has many and varied legitimate definitions: It is sometimes understood as the output or philosophy of a particular judge , i.e., “the jurisprudence of Justice White”, or synonymous with the general climate of the law in a certain period of history, i.e., “late 19c. jurisprudence.” It is sometimes understood as the study of the foundations of legal thought and hence a branch of the philosophical discipline called “epistemology “or “the philosophy of knowledge.” It is often taught in law school s as a course in what great western thinkers thought about the law, from Aristotle through the philosophers of the 21st c.
What kind of a class is Jurisprudence 555 UNM Law School, Spring 2005?The course is subtitled, “The Jurisprudence of Emergency.” Among the central questions to be addressed are, what is the rule of law, and what resources does a rule of law society have to deal with emergencies such as war, terrorism, and pandemic illness. These questions have been a central to Anglo-American jurisprudence since WWII and indeed have much older roots. They have reemerged with special force since the declaration of the global war on terrorism. One focus will be the reemergence of jurisprudential debate about the justification of torture as an interrogative method in the aftermath of 9/11.
Why Study Jurisprudence?To understand all facets of law better
To be a better lawyer*
*Students of Jurisprudence win more cases and solve more client problems successfully.