Conscience as a Philosophical and Legal Category in Russian Conservative Legal Thought

The article examines conscience as a fundamental philosophical and legal category in Russian conservative legal thought. It analyzes the doctrine of conscience as an internal spiritual and moral law that overcomes the key contradiction between formal law and the “spirit” of the law. Particular attention is paid to the role of conscience in the context of a realistic methodology of justice, which aims to overcome the extremes of legal formalism. Based on post-non-classical methodological pluralism and the application of metaphysical, dialectical, formal-legal, and historical-problematic methods, it is shown that the category of conscience serves as a key guide for law enforcement in finding a balance between the letter of the law and the “spirit” of the law. As a result, a three-stage model for the implementation of conscience in judicial activity has been developed, representing a method of spiritual and moral discipline. Conclusion dwells upon the fact that this approach actualizes the potential of conservative legal understanding, offering a theoretical and practical alternative to statism in modern law enforcement practice.