"Jurisprudence" is a word with many meanings. Here, it denotes the *philosophical* study of law. In this short survey, we will addressquestions related to the nature of law and legal systems. Is there adifference between the exercise of legal authority and the wielding of brutepolitical power? What is the connection between law and morality? What isthe proper method for interpreting legal texts in the American legal system(and how are we supposed to answer this question)? We will examine severalhistorically influential approaches to these issues, including those offeredby legal positivists, natural lawyers, and legal realists."Professor Hershovitz