INTRODUCTION

The word jurisprudence derives from the Latin term jurisprudentia, which means "the study,
knowledge, or science of law." In the United States jurisprudence commonly means the
philosophy of law. Legal philosophy has many aspects, but four of them are the most
common. The first and the most prevalent form of jurisprudence seeks to analyze, explain,
classify, and criticize entire bodies of law. Law school textbooks and legal encyclopedias
represent this type of scholarship. The second type of jurisprudence compares and contrasts
lawwithotherfields of knowledge such as literature, economics, religion, and the social
sciences. The third type of jurisprudence seeks to reveal the historical, moral, and cultural
basis of a particular legal concept. The fourth body of jurisprudence focuses on finding the
answer to such abstract questions as What is law? and
Howdojudges(properly)decidecases?.