Evidence for the Scientific Nature of Jurisprudence in the Context of the Philosophy of Science

Abstract

Given that jurisprudence has long faced accusations of being a “pseudo-science”, establishing its scientific nature can provide a genuine justification for “why law deserves people’s faith and obedience.” The philosophy of science, as a theoretical framework for understanding science, should be applied to examine the scientific character of jurisprudence. Legal research methodologies not only align with the “verification principle” and “paradigm principle,” but legal knowledge itself also possesses objectivity and relative stability. Pure rationality and value-neutrality should not be the sole criteria for judging the scientific status of jurisprudence. Rather, jurisprudence is a discipline that integrates scientific rationality with humanistic concerns, and the methodologies of natural sciences do not fully encapsulate the essence of its scientific validity.