Legal relations as a key element of sociological concept of legal consiousness

Abstract

The article analyzes the problems of understanding law within the framework of the sociological concept and the role of legal relations in it. The urgency of this topic is based on the fact that in the legal science today there is no single position regarding the understanding of law, its nature, structure, purpose, relations with other social regulators. The sociological concept tries to overcome the negative aspects of other most popular approaches to legal consciousness: natural law and legal positivism. The main attribute of law, in accordance with the views of sociological jurisprudence representatives, is the reality of law. The law is explored not only from the position that it should be according to someone’s legal consciousness or with some normatively enforced legal requirements, but from the point of view of real functioning in society. The interests and the tasks of society are the main aims of sociological jurisprudence. The legal relationship is considered the central element of the whole legal system. Such philosophical category as intersubjectivity helps us to discover the meaning of legal relationship regarding legal consciousness. The principle of intersubjectivity means that the sense of law is covered under communication of different subjects. Of course, each concept has its negative sides. Most scientists highlight the facts that sociological jurisprudence plays down the significance of norm ativity. Such uncontrolled freedom can lead to anarchy and misuse. So, we need to find the proper balance between strict written rules, bright ideas, basic principles, and real communication between people. These problems are extremely important at the present time, as Ukraine is experiencing a period of gradual transition from one kind of ideological and scientific foundations to another. Accordingly, it is necessary to explore the output theoretical and philosophical categories, one of which is the legal understanding.

Keywords

• type of legal consciousness
• sociological jurisprudence
• realism
• instrumentalism
• intersubjectivity