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Understanding The Formal Structure of Legal Reasoning - Its Use and Limits - A Perspective in Indian Jurisprudence
Understanding The Formal Structure of Legal Reasoning - Its Use and Limits - A Perspective in Indian Jurisprudence
scope for deductive reasoning, it is not Major premise -All men are mortal.
limited to that respect alone. When a case
Conclusion- Ram is Mortal.
with a unique fact situation comes, then
the courts may apply deductive reasoning This relationship is explicit in the form of
by directly examining the law related to Syllogism.5Early in this century, John
the subject and thereby move from the Dewey extravagantly claimed that among
idea (given by law) to the facts (of the all forms of logic, deductive or syllogistic
case). This becomes essential for areas, logic exercises the greatest influence on
which are new. For example, in the area legal decision-making. The legal rule
of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) carefully formulated is one premise of
which deals with copyrights, patents and deductive argument. The statement of
trademarks, the courts usually do not get facts exhibiting their relation to the rule
guidelines from judge made law on is the second premise. The outcome of
account of the unique nature of the applying the rule to the facts will leads to
subject. The court therefore applies the judgment. This is applicable in both civil
law laid down by the legislature in the and criminal law. If the defendant in the
Copyrights Act, Patents Act and the civil suit is held liable, an appropriate
Trademarks Act. Even in the area of remedy for plaintiff must then be
Cyber laws, the court has to rely on the awarded. If they accused is found to be
Information Technology Act. Even in guilty in criminal trial an appropriate
cases dealing with the traditional laws, punishment must be imposed. But the
the courts often apply deductive overall scheme in either case is deductive
reasoning not only for judge made laws in nature, which consists of a legal rule
but also for laws laid down by the together with the facts of cases as
parliament3. premises, and the judgment of the case is
the conclusion based on the above
5. Syllogistic4 nature of legal
premises.
reasoning: The understanding of
law in the context of logic is central Deductive syllogisms are
to the understanding of the various immensely useful in law; every argument
process of deductive reasoning. can be reduced to the form of a
syllogism6, and a large fraction of these
The analytical skill for the legal
syllogisms are deductive in nature. In
professional is to learn the briefing of
such arguments, the truth of the
cases -a case brief reduces a judicial
conclusion being absolutely guaranteed,
decision to an argument of deductive
they have immense force of persuasion, in
logic stated in categorical form –a
a courtroom for example.
syllogism. The classic example of
syllogism is: Deductive syllogisms comprise a
Major premise, which is the general rule,
Question- Is Ram mortal?
the Minor premise, which is the relevant
Minor premise- Ram is a man. fact, and the conclusion, which offers a
International Journal of Academic Research
ISSN: 2348-7666 Vol.1 Issue-2(1), July- September, 2014
new insight related to the fact, which is intention of all, each of such persons
known to be true based on the premises. is liable for that act in the same
In the legal context, especially in the manner as if it were done by him
context of criminal law, the structure of alone under Section 34 of the Indian
the deductive syllogism would be roughly Penal Code, 1860.
as follows:
: Accused A1 and A2
: [Doing something] committed criminal act not in
[violates the law] furtherance of the common
intention of all
: [ ] [did
something] : Accused A1 and A2 will
not be guilty under Section 34 of the
:: [ ] [violated
Indian Penal Code, 1860.
the law]7
The following are the various other types
Thus deductive syllogisms are invaluable
of syllogistic argument that utilized in
in their ability to bring clarity and focus
legal reasoning.
to an argument by stripping it to its
essentials. Every argument can be 6. Hypothetical Categorical
simplified to a syllogism; this is indicated Syllogism-
by the following legal examples.
To affirm the antecedent is to affirm the
Consider the case of P Rathinam v. consequent in the conclusion
Union of India ;
.P Q
The right to life under P
article 21 of the Indian constitution
includes the right not to live a forced life. Q
-P
Section 309 of the
Indian Penal Code, 1860, imposes a -Q
penalty on attempts to commit suicide This proposition is mostly used in
(held to be an act of ending a forced life). determining the punishments or
: The penalty under compensations in case of particular acts.
Section 309 is a violation of Article 21 of Any body who act negligently (P) is liable
the Indian Constitution. to make good the damage caused due to
Consider the case of State of his negligent act (Q)
Andhra Pradesh v. K Srinivasulu Reddy 7. Disjunctive Categorical
and Anr. Syllogism
When a criminal act is A possibility of choice to select one of the
done by several persons in available under a given set of facts and
furtherance of the common related principles.
International Journal of Academic Research
ISSN: 2348-7666 Vol.1 Issue-2(1), July- September, 2014