Law could be considered as a prism through which people perceive commonly accepted social customs. It is both a guideline and a deterrence that restricts unfathomable acts against individuals. In general, people interpret the definition of law in accordance with the environment where they live or grow up. This way, for people who live within a harsh criminal environment, the law might be a negligible set of poorly enforced rules. In contrast, others may believe in the institutional value of law and perceive it as a means of security and order. Consequently, there are fluctuating opinions about the law and its value in human life.
However, some may recognize the natural law as the existence of inherent human rights that are conferred by a higher order of reality, that is to say, “God, nature, or reason.” There are many interpretations of what constitutes natural law. Aristotle believed that natural law encompasses the moral view which is natural for every human. According to Hobbes, natural law stems from reason and prohibits the destruction of life. St. Thomas Aquinas regarded natural law as part of the divine “eternal” law, a natural reality that maintains a rational order. Aquinas requited that, in essence, the basic principle is to conduct good deeds and avoid evil. Consequently, the universality of law and order remains a philosophical question but sheds light on some prospects of the law’s role in modern human lives.
The majority of people believe that laws are designed to protect their liberty and instill a sense of security in citizens. As it is difficult to distinguish the universal component of order, it is necessary to preserve the sense of security in the complex branching reality of modern society. This act of perseverance is regarded as positive law which obligates specific actions or rights to be enacted with regard to groups or individuals and reflects the guiding nature of the legislation. In the absence of such measures, it is difficult to imagine the state of our society which includes numerous groups of often clashing interests. The clash of interest may result in a conflict to settle in which there is a chance that one group may succumb to violent measures; in Hobbesian terms, that would be the state of nature — a violent world where basic human needs and rights are not addressed. The role of legislation is to prevent the state of nature and accommodate peace. It facilitates peaceful resolutions of conflicts, protects public order, encourages cooperation, prevents the accumulation of power by a single individual, and preserves basic social values of morality and rights.
Today’s justice systems transformed humanity and opened a new page toward an interconnected and globalized society, but some governments fail to recognize their value. There are instances of power abuse, unjust legislative institutions, and corruption on the governmental level. Simultaneously, groups that do not recognize the value of democratic and liberal approaches to legislation also exist. Consequently, the function of law transforms from a security guideline into the object of hate and abuse.
Although international bodies such as United Nations oversee the global situation and try to maintain peace, their potency is limited. Numerous people live a life without realizing that they possess basic human rights to security, liberty, and life — something that many take for granted. The function of law is to protect, liberate, and preserve life. Some even recognize the existence of natural laws that are universal across all of humanity. However, the reality is that humans make laws for humans, and as long as humans disagree with the existence of laws, there are bound to be devastating consequences.