Abstract
Stoker was already of pensionable age when he first developed an interest in the problems o f jurisprudence, although he had no academic training in the discipline o f law. For that reason, his exposition o f jurisprudential notions and ideas in many respects lacks a proper understanding of the exact components o f legal concepts and distinctions familiar to the legally trained mind. The general exposition to be found in his philosophy pertaining to the law, human rights and the legal order nevertheless reflects amazing insights and original thought. The main thrust o f his jurisprudence remained focused upon uncovering the essential nature of the juridical aspect of reality, which he defined as service in office (ampsbediening ): Every human person has a particular calling in life and is required by God to fulfil that calling. The ontic law (the ‘real law' as it would have been had there been no sin) lays down the conditions that would make it possible for a person to accomplish her earthly avocation. An internal analysis would expose distinct 'cosmic dimensions’ of the law, human rights and the legal order. The juridical aspect per se constitutes aparticular modality of individual and social ideostantic ‘things’; its dynamic aspect may be uncovered by perceiving the law from the perspective of the cosmic dimension o f occurrences; and its elements of ‘good’ and 'bad' will be brought to light by analysing the law, human rights and the legal order with a view to the cosmic dimension of values. Stoker’s perception of the ontic law is comparable to the notion of natural law - redesigned by Stoker, though, from a decidedly Christian perspective.
Highlights
The main thrust o f his jurisprudence remainedfocused upon uncovering the essential nature o f the juridical aspect o f reality, which he defined as "service in office " ("ampsbediening "): Every human person has a particu lar calling in life and is required by God tofulfil that calling
The juridical aspect per se constitutes a particular modality o f individual and social ideostantic ‘things’; its dynamic aspect may be uncovered by perceiving the law from the perspective o f the cosmic dimension o f occurrences; and its elements of ‘g o o d ’ and 'bad' will be brought to light by analysing the law, human rights and the legal order with a view to the cosmic dimension o f values
Stoker’s perception o f the ontic law is comparable to the notion o f natural law - redesigned by Stoker, though, from a decidedly Christian perspective
Summary
Hendrik Gerhardus Stoker (1899-1993) was geen vakkundige regsgeleerde nie; en hy het hom eers in die fleur van sy bejaardheid op die fundamentele probleme van die reg as wetenskap begin toespits. Lourens du Plessis merk op dat juis omdat Stoker vakkundige kennis van die regsfilosofie ontbeer, 'n mens by hom nie “'n indringende kennis van die appa ra tu s van die regswetenskap(pe)” aantref nie (L.M. du Plessis, 1978:598), maar hierdie leemte, merk hy verder op, maak tegelyk die skerpte van Stoker se insigte des te meer merkwaardig (ibid.). Hoewel Stoker nie 'n regsgeleerde o f regsfilosoof was nie en daardie tekortkoming duidelik uit sy soms lompe omgaan met regsbegrippe en -instellings blyk, sou verontagsaming van sy insigte vandag vir hoërgraadse navorsing op regsfilosofiese gebied akademies onaanvaarbaar wees. Daar bestaan reeds verskeie doctorandi in die Suid-Afrikaanse regswêreld wat in hulle (regsfilosofiese) navor sing deeglik van Stoker rekenskap gegee het Stoker se insigte aangaande die reg en menseregte word in hierdie gedenkbydrae vervolgens onder die loep geneem
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