NATURAL LAW THEORY IN ITALY

Abstract

: Natural Law Theories are influenced by particular cultural trends and philosophical traditions. The Italian trend is characterized, on the one hand, by the existence of a normative ethics grounded on human reason and inspired by the Christian faith according to Aquinas’ doctrine, and, on the other hand, by a philosophy of history concerning processes of civilization according to Giambattista Vico’s thought. These two cultural roots have developed in parallel and often in opposition, so Italian Natural Law Theories have been attracted now by rationalism, then by historicism without arriving at a point of balance. In the age of constitutionalism, the relevance of inner principles of positive law appears to allow their fruitful convergence.