The phenomenon of law in modern consumer society

Abstract

Modern consumer society needs its definition and scientific development, as well as an understanding of the specifics of the phenomenon of law as one of its social regulators. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the rational, ontological and axiological aspects of this phenomenon and the specifics of their manifestation in modern society, in which consumption becomes a key moment. The purpose of the article is to determine the features of law as a phenomenon in the modern consumer society. The methodology of the work includes socio-philosophical analysis, dialectics, phenomenological method, logical and system-structural analysis. The combination of these methods allows revealing the essential characteristics of the phenomenon of law and its existence in social reality in accordance with the changes that are constantly occurring and require their regulation. Description of the main results. In the process of research, it was determined that the rationality of law, its philosophical dimensions determine legal reality as a set of diverse and at the same time interconnected legal phenomena. The forms of existence and implementation of law in society are defined, as well as the peculiarities of their functioning today. Law is considered as communication and semiotics, which is extremely relevant in view of modern cultural processes in which communication takes on new forms, and semiotics is constantly changing. The importance of philosophical reflection on law is clarified, since an exclusively legal approach does not reveal its essence as a phenomenon. The ontological and axiological dimensions of law are shown, thanks to which its essential and valuable connotations were revealed. It is because of its existence, implementation in society that law becomes a reality and can realize its essence – freedom. And thanks to its value dimensions, it is capable of being a general, universal, social regulator that carries values and protects them. It is shown how human values change in modern society and how the law should respond to this. The correlation of changes in the consciousness of modern people, which occurs under the influence of the strategy of product manufacturers – to increase sales, and this, of course, has profound systemic and structural consequences. A number of important socio-economic relations, which should be regulated by modern law in a consumer society, are considered, where the main issue can be defined as the relationship between those who produce goods and those who consume them. It was determined that today’s law must remain relevant and quickly change as needed, based on the trends of social development. Scientific novelty. It was determined that the phenomenon of law, despite social changes, remains a key value dimension of society and a social regulator that can ensure the realization of individual human aspirations and the general public interest as a whole. Socio-economic processes occurring in society are closely related to general cultural ones, and changes occur both at the level of the objective world and at the level of consciousness of individuals and collective consciousness, and law plays one of the key roles in this process. Conclusions. It was found that law today can only be considered in a broad, philosophical sense as a phenomenon, since in the modern consumer society it plays the role of a significant social regulator, and also reflects the most important and significant values and social changes occurring at the level of society.