The deterministic process of legal interpretation and the concept of Vera Semantica Juris

A new podcast featuring experts Dr. Mariusz Miąsko, lawyer, and Prof. Marek Krótkiewicz, PhD, engineer, is now available on the YouTube channel of the Nicolaus Copernicus Superior School. In the material, they present their original and interdisciplinary concept of the deterministic process of legal interpretation and semantic representation of law (Vera Semantica Juris), which aims to increase the predictability of the legal system.

The conversation focuses on the challenges of contemporary legislation and the possibility of using engineering and semantic tools to streamline the process of interpreting regulations.

One of the main themes is a critical analysis of current artificial intelligence models used in the field of law. The interlocutors also attempt to diagnose the contemporary legal system, describing it as an environment of increasing complexity. The large number of new regulations and interpretative ambiguity can lead to difficulties in predicting legal consequences for both citizens and participants in the justice system.

The material proposes treating law as a field designed using methods appropriate to the exact sciences and engineering. The authors of the concept emphasize the importance of validation, testing, and iterative improvement of regulations—analogous to those used in the creation of complex technical systems.

The central element of the discussion is the concept of Vera Semantica Juris. It assumes the creation of a metalanguage and legal ontology that will enable the unambiguous assignment of concepts used in regulations to specific entities in reality. As a result, this would lead to a more consistent and deterministic interpretation of the law. Experts illustrate this idea with the metaphor of a code – in order to correctly read a legal norm, it is necessary for the legislator and the interpreter to use the same interpretative “key.”

The issue of human dignity is also an important context for the discussion. According to the interviewees, greater transparency and predictability of the law can contribute to strengthening the protection of individuals and building trust in public institutions.

• Why can’t artificial intelligence (LLM) interpret the law?
• Why is the current legal system a “system of chaos”?
• How does a “provision” differ from a “legal norm”?
• Why should law be treated like engineering?
• What is the Vera Semantica Juris project?

We encourage you to watch the full conversation on the SGMK YouTube channel. (Video-podcast available with automatic translation into English and other selected languages)