De Iure Naturae Et Gentium

Description

Eighteenth-century edition of the eight-book treatise by the great German jurist and philosopher Samuel von Pufendorf (1632-1694), inspired by some reflections on the theses of Hugo Grotius (1583-1645) and Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679). The work is the manifesto of a rationalist thought characterised by sharp realism and logical rigour, the author discusses and revises natural law themes in a more systematic manner. Natural law is a philosophical-legal current based on two principles: the existence of “natural law” (conforming to human nature and intrinsically just) and its superiority over “positive law” (created by men). The idea is that of a primordial state of nature, the essential cornerstone of all human communities before the creation of laws. It is a status quo prior to social organisation, in which individuals already possess fundamental rights, which are, however, not guaranteed by any official authority. It is therefore necessary to establish a “social compact” to regulate the lives of citizens in a state entity. The necessary precondition of good governance is the rationality of natural law. Only 3 copies are present in Italian libraries.