oikeusoppia
Oikeusoppia, often translated as jurisprudence or theory of law, is the theoretical and philosophical study of law and legal systems. It investigates what law is, how legal norms are created, interpreted, and applied, and how legal reasoning relates to morality, social order, and policy. The field addresses concepts such as legal validity, authority, rule of recognition, rights, and justice, and it analyzes the sources of law, including statutes, case law, and customary norms.
Within Finland, oikeusoppia forms a core part of legal education and research. It is studied as part
Historically, oikeusoppia draws on international traditions of legal philosophy, including positivist and natural-law approaches, as well
Purpose and use: the discipline provides analytical tools for understanding, interpreting, and critiquing legal systems, supports