I. Introduction: Object and interest of the subject. II. The phenomenon of law. 1. Grounds of law. 1.1. Recurrent issues of General Theory of Law. 1.1.1. The concept of law. 1.1.2. Legal norms. 1.1.3. The ground of validity of a legal system. 1.1.4. Hume’s law and legal positivism. 1.1.5. The theory of justice. John Rawls: justice as fairness. 1.1.6. Law and ethics.

CILO-1: Students will be able to relate the emergence of the modern state and its theoretical foundations with the main features of modern law and the respective critique. CILO-2: Students will be able to explain and contrast different theories of justice and assess their influence on the law. CILO-3: Students will be able to discuss the relationship between law and morality in connection with the problem of the validity of law, and critically engage with the natural law – positivism debate.