The article analyzes the features of the theory of natural law as a fundamental paradigm in the understanding of law, thanks to which it retains its significance throughout the intellectual history of mankind in competition with a very influential opponent – legal positivism. Existing in the diversity of its manifestations – theories of natural law, or even trends, ways of legal thinking, it has a powerful potential for creative change in the legal field through the formulation of ambitious ideals and their practical implementation, maintaining mystery and inspiring its supporters to unravel the mysteries of law and its knowledge.

Based on the theoretical problematization of some ideas about the history and content of natural law and analytical explanations of concepts and constructions of the theory that comprehends it (theory of natural law) in the first part of the article is an attempt to formulate a generalized image of natural law and theories of natural law; special emphasis is made on the growing importance of theories of natural law in periods of reform and social transformation.

The second part reveals the grounds and content of the three “revivals” of theories of natural law that took place during the twentieth century; author stresses on the practical significance of the theory of natural law (as a certain doctrine) in critical assessments of existing positive law, as well as in law-making processes and court decisions, thus refuting judgments about its historical “exhaustion”. The final part outlines the prospects for the application of the provisions of the doctrine of natural law in domestic legal science and legal practice.

Bibliography

Authored books

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2. Dworkin R, Law’s Empire (The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press 1986) (in English).

3. Finnis J, Natural Law and Natural Rights (Oxford University Press 1980) (in English).

4. Stammler R, Die Lehre von richtigen Rechte (Guttentag 1902) (in German).

5. Anisimova G V, Teoretychni zasady rozvytku ekolohichnoho zakonodavstva v konteksti pryrodno-pravovoi doktryny (Pravo 2019) (in Ukrainian).

6. Hryshchuk O V ta Popov D I, Zastosuvannia pryrodnoho prava pry zdiisnenni sudovoho uhliadu:filosofsko-pravovi aspekty (Khmelnytskyi universytet upravlinnia ta prava 2014) (in Ukrainian).

7. Kistyakovskij B, Social’nye nauki i pravo: Ocherki po metodologii social’nyh nauk i obshchej teorii prava (M i S Sabashnikovy 1916) (in Russian).

8. Maksimov S, Pravovaya real’nost’: opyt filosofskogo osmysleniya (Pravo 2002) (in Russian).

9. Nersesiants V, Filosofyia prava (Norma 1997) (in Russian).

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Edited and translated books

12. Alexy R, ‘Agreements and Disagreements. Some Introductory Remarks’ in M Escamilla and M Saavedra (eds), Law and Justice in a Global Society (Universidad de Granada 2005) 699-703.

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14. Kirste S, ‘Chapter 2 Natural Law in Germany in the 20th Century’ in Pattaro E and Roversi C (eds), A Treatise of Legal Philosophy and General Jurisprudence, vol 12: Legal Philosophy in the Twentieth Century: The Civil Law World, t 2: Main Orientations and Topics Springer (Springer 2016) (in English).

15. Viola F, ‘Chapter 1 Introduction: Natural Law Theories in the 20th Century’ in Pattaro E and Roversi C (eds), A Treatise of Legal Philosophy and General Jurisprudence, vol 12: Legal Philosophy in the Twentieth Century: The Civil Law World, t 2: Main Orientations and Topics Springer (Springer 2016) (in English).

16. Alexi R, Poniatye y deistvytelnost prava (otvet yurydycheskomu pozytyvyzmu) (per s nem, Infotropic 2011) (in Russian).

17. Finnis J, Estestvennoe pravo i estestvennye prava (per s anbgl, IRISEN 2012) (in Russian).

18. Fuller L L, Moral’ prava (per s angl, Sfera 1999) (in Ukrainian).

19. Hart H L A, Kontseptsiia prava (per z anhl, Sfera 1998) (in Ukrainian).

20. Heffe O, Politika, pravo, spravedlivost’. Osnovopolozheniya kriticheskoj filosofii prava i gosudarstva (per s nem, Gnozis Logos 1994) (in Russian).

21. Kelzen H, Chyste pravoznavstvo. Z dodatkom: Problema spravedlyvosti. Dodatok II. Vchennia pro pryrodne pravo (per z nim, Iunivers 2004) (in Ukrainian).

22. Maksymov S, ‘Metodolohichni pidkhody do doslidzhennia pravovoi realnosti’ v Pravova systema Ukrainy: istoriia, stan, perspektyvy, t 1: Metodolohichni ta istoryko-problemy formuvannia i rozvytku pravovoi systemy Ukraiy (Tsvika M ta Petryshyna O red, Pravo 2009) (in Ukrainian).

 23. Maksymov S, ‘Pravova doktryna: filosofsko-pravovyi pidkhid’ in Pravova doktryna Ukrainy, t 1: Zahalnoteoretychna ta istorychna yurysprudentsiia (Petryshyn O zah red, Pravo 2013) (in Ukrainian).

24. Radbruh G, Filosofiya prava (per s nem, Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya 2004) (in Russian).

25. Rawls J, Teoriia spravedlyvosti (per z anhl, Osnovy 2001) (in Ukrainian).

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Encyclopedias

27. Marmor A and Sarch A, ‘The Nature of Law’ in The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Edward N. Zalta ed, Fall 2019 Edition) <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2019/ entries/lawphil-nature> (accessed: 20.12.2020) (in English).

Journal articles

 28. Aarnio A, ‘Khto my? Problemy sotsialnoi, kulturnoi ta pravovoi identychnosti’ (2008– 2009) VI–VII Problemy filosofii prava 22 (in Ukrainian).

29. Alexi R, ‘Dual’naya priroda prava’ (2011) 1 Pravo Ukrainy (in Russian) 45.

30. Kirste St, ‘Transpozytyvni osnovy pozytyvnykh prav liudyny’ (2012) 2 Filosofiia prava i zahalna teoriia prava 178 (in Ukrainian).

31. Maksymov S, ‘Pryrodno-pravove myslennia’ [2001] 4 (28) Visnyk Akademii pravovykh nauk Ukrainy 155 (in Ukrainian).

32. Radbrukh H, ‘Zakonne nepravo ta nadzakonne parvo’ (2004) II Problemy filosofii prava 83 (in Ukrainian).

33. Rechytsky V, ‘Chy mozhe isnuvaty v Ukraini ofitsiina konstytutsiina doktryna?’ (2016) 1–2 Filosofiia prava i zahalna teoriia prava 282 (in Ukrainian).

34. Tasiulas J, ‘Poriatunok prav liudyny vid prava prav liudyny’ (2020) 1 Filosofiia prava i zahalna teoriia prava 198 (in Ukrainian).

35. Zhalimas D, ‘Ofitsiina konstytutsiina doktryna: kontseptsiia, znachushchist, holovni pryntsypy rozvytku’ (2016) 1–2 Filosofiia prava i zahalna teoriia prava 267 (in Ukrainian).

Conference papers

36. Letnianchyn L, ‘Ofitsiina konstytutsiina doktryna Konstytutsii Ukrainy’ in Konstytutsiinyi dyzain: vid makro do mikro rivnia. Zbirka tez naukovykh dopovidei i povidomlen Mizhnarodnoi naukovoi konferentsii (Hetman A zah red, Prava liudyny 2020) (in Ukrainian).