MAY/JUNE EXAM 2025
UNIQUE NO.
DUE DATE: 28 MAY 2025
, LJU4801
May/June Exam 2025
Unique Number:
Due Date: 28 May 2025
Legal Philosophy
Question 1
1.1 Identify and discuss the two philosophical approaches being used here. (15
marks)
The scenario presents two different philosophical approaches to understanding the
criminalisation of prostitution in South Africa. These two approaches are legal
positivism and natural law theory.
Firstly, natural law theory argues that the law is deeply connected to morality. This
means that for a rule to be considered a valid law, it must be based on moral values or
principles. According to this view, prostitution is criminalised because it is seen as
immoral conduct. Supporters of this theory believe that the law should reflect what is
right and wrong in a moral sense. They would argue that prostitution degrades human
dignity and breaks moral standards, and therefore, it is rightly outlawed.
On the other hand, legal positivism sees the law as separate from morality. Legal
positivists believe that what the law says is the law, regardless of whether it is moral or
immoral. According to this view, prostitution is a crime simply because the law declares
it to be so in the Sexual Offences Act 23 of 1957. It is not necessarily about whether
prostitution is right or wrong but rather about what the legal system currently recognises
as valid.