July 26th, 2010
Law as Science, Law as Art
There are some moments when science and art become indistinguishable from each other. It can happen in chemistry, in physics, and it can also certainly happen in law. The moments when they do begin to resemble each other seem to come from a much earlier time, when the origins of science were inextricably connected to the origins of art .
For today’s lawyers, whether they practice at the university, or they’re practicing Las Vegas law in the field, as it were, there are still moments when this chasm turns into a bridge. When science is based on certain fixed principles, it certainly applies to law, by following the laws that have been set out before. But there are also moments when law can determine meaning, and new meanings for new moments, and this is when it moves into the realm of art.
Of course, for most of the cases that come into daily law practice, a lawyer in Sacramento, or someone working as an Orange County lawyer , will be dealing with the science of it. Following the rule of law is very much the same as following the rules that guide the physical universe. Drawing on the experiences that have come before, there are moments when interpretation comes into play, and at this point it’s necessary to look into intention. That’s where art begins to live.

