<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Classical logic is based on an underlying view of the world, according to which there are elementary facts and compound facts, which are logical combinations of these elementary facts. Sentences are true if they correspond to, in last instance, the elementary facts in the world. This world view has no place for rules, which exist as individuals in the world, and which create relations between the most elementary facts. As a result, classical logic is not suitable to deal with rules, and is therefore unsuitable to deal with legal reasoning. A logic that is more suitable should take into account that law is a part of social reality, in particular a part that consists of constructivist facts, and that rules play a central role in law. This article gives a superficial description of how social reality exists and of the place of law and legal rules in it. It uses this description to argue that traditional techniques to reason with and about legal rules provide a better logic for law than classical logic. These techniques can be accommodated in a logic that treats rules as logical individuals.</p>
</abstract>

Classical logic is based on an underlying view of the world, according to which there are elementary facts and compound facts, which are logical combinations of these elementary facts. Sentences are true if they correspond to, in last instance, the elementary facts in the world. This world view has no place for rules, which exist as individuals in the world, and which create relations between the most elementary facts. As a result, classical logic is not suitable to deal with rules, and is therefore unsuitable to deal with legal reasoning. A logic that is more suitable should take into account that law is a part of social reality, in particular a part that consists of constructivist facts, and that rules play a central role in law. This article gives a superficial description of how social reality exists and of the place of law and legal rules in it. It uses this description to argue that traditional techniques to reason with and about legal rules provide a better logic for law than classical logic. These techniques can be accommodated in a logic that treats rules as logical individuals.

How Law’s Nature Influences Law’s Logic

Maastricht University (emeritus) 6200 MD Maastricht

Studia Humana

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"How Law\u2019s Nature Influences Law\u2019s Logic"}

Classical logic is based on an underlying view of the world, according to which there are elementary facts and compound facts, which are logical combinations...

How Law’s Nature Influences Law’s Logic

Publicado en línea: 28 abr 2024

Páginas: 4 - 17

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sh-2024-0015

Palabras clave
classical logic, constructivist facts, rules, social reality

© 2024 Jaap Hage, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How Law’s Nature Influences Law’s Logic

Publicado en línea: 28 abr 2024

Páginas: 4 - 17

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sh-2024-0015

Palabras claveclassical logic, constructivist facts, rules, social reality

© 2024 Jaap Hage, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Palabras clave
classical logic, constructivist facts, rules, social reality