The Province of Jurisprudence Determined is a landmark in legal theory and the study of English and American law. Known for its rigorous and systematic analysis, it helped bring coherence to a field that had previously been largely unsystematic and scattered.
The work explores the nature of law as a form of command backed by sanctions, raising enduring questions about how legal authority, political power, and morality intersect and diverge. Its sharp distinction between positive law—rules laid down by a sovereign—and moral principles, described as the "law of God," has shaped debates in jurisprudence ever since.
Influenced by utilitarian philosophy, the author treats social utility as a key standard for evaluating moral rules and understanding their relationship to legal obligations. These arguments have sparked lasting controversy and made the book central to discussions of what law is, what gives it authority, and how it should be evaluated.
This volume is ideal for law students, legal scholars, philosophers, and anyone interested in the foundations of legal systems and the ongoing conversation about the nature and limits of law.
- Classic text in analytical jurisprudence
- Examines sovereignty, legal authority, and sanctions
- Clarifies the divide between law and morality
- Engages with utilitarian ideas of social utility
