naturretten

Naturretten, commonly translated as natural law, is a theory of law and morality that posits certain principles are inherent in human nature and can be discovered through reason, independent of positive statutes or human authority.

Historically, natural law ideas trace back to ancient Greece and Rome, where philosophers such as Aristotle and the Stoics argued for universal principles of right reason governing human conduct. In medieval Europe, Thomas Aquinas synthesized natural law with Christian theology, claiming moral principles derive from an eternal order accessible to human reason. In the early modern period, thinkers like Hugo Grotius, Samuel Pufendorf, and John Locke connected natural law to universal rights and limits on sovereign power, helping to lay the groundwork for liberal constitutionalism.

Natural law is often linked to natural rights—the idea that individuals possess fundamental liberties by virtue of being human. This association influenced Enlightenment thought and the development of modern human rights doctrines, constitutional limits on government, and international law.

In legal theory, natural law can function as a normative standard against which positive law is judged, or, in some traditions, as a source of law that constrains authorities. Others distinguish sharply between morality and law, arguing that legal validity rests on enacted rules rather than moral claims.

Variants within the tradition range from classical natural law, which emphasizes a moral order discoverable in nature or reason, to modern formulations focused on rights and justice. Critics challenge the universality and objectivity of natural law and question whether moral claims can reliably dictate legal content, while legal positivists maintain that law is a system of rules created by authorities, independent of moral evaluation.

Today, naturretten continues to influence debates on human rights, constitutionalism, and the legitimacy of laws, even as many legal systems incorporate positivist approaches.