legal science 法律科学；法学 等于science of law,广义上亦称jurisprudence。这是从哲学、历史、比较研究、分析研究、评论等各角度对广义上的法律及其演变、转型、形成、阐释、应用等方面的系统化、体系化的知识。法学有两个主要分支：理论法学与应用法学。前者为法学家所从事的工作，后者则属于立法者、法官、律师等实际法律工作者的范围。法学与法律学术的区别在于前者主要局限于有关法律的系统化思考与着述，而后者则多指为解决实际法律问题所作的思考活动。 (→jurisprudence)
legal science. The field of study that, as one of the social sciences, deals with the institutions and principles that particular societies have developed (1) for defining the claims and liabilities of persons against one another in various circumstances, and (2) for peaceably resolving disputes and controversies in accordance with principles accepted as fair and