Positive Law and Natural Law

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate: 1) that the notions of positive and natural law are not incompatible; 2) that positive and natural law are two species of the same genus "law," conceived as an obligatory prescription; 3) that the obligatory force of both laws depends on a rational justification, discriminating juridical norms from mere impositions; 4) that the difference between those laws depends on the universality or the particularity of their justification.