The subject of the research is the theoretical fertility of the concept of "legal consciousness." The object of the research is domestic and foreign (English and German) scientific studies dedicated to the topic of legal consciousness. Attention is drawn to the disproportion between theoretical and empirical studies of legal consciousness. The meaning of the term "legal consciousness" in domestic and foreign scientific texts is clarified. Its accuracy, unambiguity, operationalizability, and theoretical fertility are examined. Foreign criticism of the concept of "legal consciousness," primarily in German literature, is investigated. Special attention is given to the scientific views of T. Geiger, N. Luhmann, N. Dimmel, and D. Myers. Sociological and psychological literature concerning the correlation between attitudes and behavior is explored. Obstacles to the empirical study of legal consciousness are analyzed. The cognitive, evaluative, regulatory, and prognostic functions of legal consciousness are critically examined. Problems related to the practical application of the concept of legal consciousness are discussed. The research employs analytical, logical, hermeneutic, comparative, functional, and historical methods. Based on the research findings, the author of the article reached the following conclusions. First, legal consciousness represents too broad an object and subject for both theoretical and empirical study. Second, legal consciousness is difficult to empirically study due to methodological reasons. Third, scientific judgments about legal consciousness are almost inevitably evaluative and subjective in nature. Fourth, the regulatory function of legal consciousness cannot be proven based on data from contemporary sociological-psychological studies. The main reason lies in the insufficient study of the correlation between individual attitudes and behavior. Fifth, as a consequence, legal consciousness does not carry a prognostic function. Sixth, the concept of legal consciousness contains neither theoretical nor practical value. Seventh, the term "legal consciousness" is widely used for political and ideological purposes. These critical conclusions contain scientific novelty, as they contradict the predominantly positive assessment of the theoretical significance of the concept of "legal consciousness" in domestic scientific publications.
Anton Valer'evich Aleksenko (Tue,) studied this question.