Schools Of Jurisprudence

Question 1

Socrates

Answer 1

Idea: Virtue = knowledge; there’s an inner “moral compass.”

Contribution: Socratic Method—challenge beliefs, uncover flaws.

Mnemonic: Socrates = “Think‑erates”—you THINK your way to virtue through questioning.

Memory Hook: Imagine yourself grilled in court and forced to defend your beliefs—just like Socrates did.

Question 2

Plato

Answer 2

Core Idea: Doctrine of Forms—truths like Justice exist beyond our world.

Mnemonic: Plato paints—a painter creating ideal Forms on canvas, separate from real objects.

Memory Hook: Picture a sculptor chiseling the pure “Form” of Justice hidden inside a block of marble

Question 3

Aristotle

Answer 3

Core Idea: Forms exist within things; natural justice discovered through reason.

Mnemonic: Aristotle = “A‑ri‑store‑deal”—you store the essence (form) inside the real thing.

Memory Hook: Picture Aristotle putting “essence” back into Plato’s painting—grounding ideals in real life

Question 4

Zeno & Roman Stoics

Answer 4

natural law; law classification: civil (Jus Civile), natural (Jus Naturalis), international (Jus Gentium).

Mnemonic: Zeno zones laws: Rome zones citizens, nature, and foreigners.

Memory Hook: Imagine a Roman city map with three zones for citizens, foreigners, and universal law

Question 5

Cicero

Answer 5

Core Idea: “True law is right reason in agreement with nature.”

Mnemonic: Cicero = “Circle of nature”—reason must circle back to nature’s code.

Memory Hook: Visualize Cicero drawing a circle on paper—anything outside that, he

Question 6

Medieval Period

Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274 CE)

Answer 6

re Idea: Hierarchy of law:

1. Eternal (God’s mind)
2. Natural (our reason)
3. Divine (scripture)
4. Human (positive law)—must align with natural law or is unjust.

Mnemonic: A‑qua(-nas) = 4 waters flowing down from highest to lowest.

Memory Hook: Picture rivers cascading from a mountain (eternal) → stream (reason) → reservoir

Question 7

Renaissance & Enlightenment Period

Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679)

Answer 7

Core Idea: In nature we are in chaos (“nasty, brutish, short”); surrender all to sovereign (Leviathan) for safety.

Mnemonic: Hobbes = Hobble your rights fully.

Memory Hook: Think of hobbling yourself—giving up all freedom to the monster-State

Question 8

John Locke (1632–1704)

Answer 8

rights, but you retain life, liberty, property.

Mnemonic: Locke = lock-in rights.

Memory Hook: Picture locking away your property and liberty under a strong case—so only human law can open it.

Question 9

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Answer 9

Core Idea: General Will—the collective will of the people represents true law.

Mnemonic: Rousseau = “Raw-sow”—a herd of people planting the same seed (will).

Memory Hook: Picture planting a single vine where only the people’s collective gesture makes it grow.

Question 10

Modern/Analytical Revival Period

Hugo Grotius, Rudolf Stammler, Lon Fuller, John Rawls, John Finnis

Answer 10

Grotius: Father of international law, natural law independent of God.

Mnemonic: Grotius grows treaties.

Stammler: Law must be “just law” that harmonizes society’s purpose.

Mnemonic: Stammler = “sampler” tastes social purpose.

Question 11

Fuller

Answer 11

Fuller: Morality of law—clarity, consistency, publicity.

Mnemonic: Fuller = fills the gaps in law’s morality.

Rawls: Justice as Fairness—original position and veil of ignorance.

Mnemonic: Rawls = “raw deal reversed”—build fairness blindfolded.