<P> Law provides a source of scholarly inquiry into legal history, philosophy, economic analysis and sociology . Law also raises important and complex issues concerning equality, fairness, and justice . </P> <P> Numerous definitions of law have been put forward over the centuries . The Third New International Dictionary from Merriam - Webster defines law as: "Law is a binding custom or practice of a community; a rule or mode of conduct or action that is prescribed or formally recognized as binding by a supreme controlling authority or is made obligatory by a sanction (as an edict, decree, rescript, order, ordinance, statute, resolution, rule, judicial decision, or usage) made, recognized, or enforced by the controlling authority ." </P> <P> The Dictionary of the History of Ideas published by Scribner's in 1973 defined the concept of law accordingly as: "A legal system is the most explicit, institutionalized, and complex mode of regulating human conduct . At the same time, it plays only one part in the congeries of rules which influence behavior, for social and moral rules of a less institutionalized kind are also of great importance ." </P> <P> There have been several attempts to produce "a universally acceptable definition of law". In 1972, one source indicated that no such definition could be produced . McCoubrey and White said that the question "what is law?" has no simple answer . Glanville Williams said that the meaning of the word "law" depends on the context in which that word is used . He said that, for example, "early customary law" and "municipal law" were contexts where the word "law" had two different and irreconcilable meanings . Thurman Arnold said that it is obvious that it is impossible to define the word "law" and that it is also equally obvious that the struggle to define that word should not ever be abandoned . It is possible to take the view that there is no need to define the word "law" (e.g. "let's forget about generalities and get down to cases"). </P>

Law may be classified on the basis of whether it is