经验方法在司法中的地位、作用及其局限性

在适用法律的推理活动中,经验方法与人们惯常所熟悉的形式逻辑的推理之间有着较大的区别,具有范围的广泛性与数量的无限性、结论的或然性和性质的一般性与客观性等特征。经验方法的运用贯穿于司法的全过程,在事实认知和适用法律中被广为运用,对于有效及时地解决纠纷大有裨益。但经验方法的易出错、易受裁判者擅断和主观情感影响等局限应予以克服。司法中,适用法律的方法具有多样性,具体方法的选择,应能够保障不同部门法规范特定目的及其调整方式在当下的实现。

Applications of Common Sense in the Administration of Justice and Their Limitations

The differences between common sense in legal inferential activities and the formal logical inference with which we are familiar lie in the extensiveness of scope and the infiniteness of quantity, the probability of conclusions, and generality and objectivity of the nature. Common sense is widely applied, throughout the whole process of the administration of justice, in our interpretation of facts and judgments according to law. Therefore, it is beneficial to the realistic and timely solutions of disputes. However, common sense is fallible, easy to be abused and influenced by affective factors. In practice, the ways to apply law to make legal judgment are varied, and the choices should be made to guarantee the realization of the specific purposes of certain law.