A Comparative Study of the Structure of Rationality, Its Indicators, and Contradictions in Roman Law (with an Emphasis on French Law), Common Law, and Islamic Jurisprudence

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Law, Faculty of Humanities, Qazvin Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.

Abstract

The structure of rationality is based on four dualistic indicators: perfect/bounded rationality, typical/personal rationality, intrinsic/instrumental rationality, and formal/substantial rationality. The structure of every legal system also incorporates these indicators as its framework, reflecting a regular and reasonable approach to regulating societal relations. This article examines these four indicators within the Roman law, common law, and jurisprudence systems. The research method employed is analytical-descriptive, with data collected through library research. The findings reveal fundamental differences among the legal systems and highlight contradictions within the structure of rationality in each system. In Roman law, the dominant trend leans toward full, kind, and essential rationality; however, a longstanding challenge exists regarding the interplay between formal-instrumental and essential-essential rationality. This tension ultimately results in the fusion of essential-essential rationality (natural human rights and justice, particularly distributive justice in civil rights) with formal-instrumental rationality, as manifested in transnational international documents and domestic laws. In common law, the prevailing and traditional tendency favors full, kind, instrumental, and formal rationality. Nonetheless, recent trends indicate a shift toward limited, personal, and substantive rationality, informed by analyses of behavioral economics of rights and the inherent, immutable principles of human rights. In the jurisprudence system, the dominant trend is toward complete, kind, intrinsic, and essential rationality. Although all three legal systems exhibit structural conflicts regarding the form or substance of rationality, they share a common inclination toward perfect rationality.

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