Law is a system of rules formulated by society or government to deal with crimes, business agreements, and social relationships. The precise definition of law is a subject of long debate. Some philosophers define it as the set of all legal precepts that exist in an organised political society, while others see it as a regime of adjusting relations and ordering conduct.
The objective of law is to guarantee justice, which may be distributive or corrective, according to John Salmond. This can be achieved through the formal sources of law (statutes or legislation, judicial precedents) and persuasive ones (principles of morality, equity, and justice, professional opinions, etc).
Blackstone’s view is that the purpose of law is to provide an adequate remedy for breaches of it. For this reason, it is important that laws should be clearly written and publicized. This makes it easier for people to understand them and comply with them. It also ensures that everyone has access to the same law, regardless of their social and economic status.
Another principle is that it should be simple and easy for judges to interpret. This is known as textualism. It is based on the idea that there is a “plain meaning” of a legal text. It is therefore not necessary to use more complex methods of interpretation.
Some philosophers argue that a law should be based on reality. This is because it is more just to punish those who break laws that are based on reality rather than those that are not. For example, if someone throws something up in the air unsuspended it will come down. This is a law that is based on the truth of an empirical fact.