IMPLICATIONS FOR OBLIGATION IN UNDERSTANDING LAW WITH RESPECT TO VARIOUS LEGAL THEORIES

Offering an adequate understanding of the idea of obligation has been one of the key issues in both moral and legal philosophy. The term “obligation” is used in a variety of contexts in ordinary language . If I refer to moral obligation (eg, “I am morally obliged to help my friends”), legal obligation (eg, I am legally obliged to pay my taxes), political obligation (eg, “I am politically obliged to vote ”), or social obligation (eg, I am socially obliged to invite my friends on my birthday). Different legal philosophies have given different theories and tried to understand law. Philosophers like Austin, Kelsen, HLA Hart etc tried to understand the law by giving different theories. HLA Hart’s concept of law appeals to me the most.