Regula iuris "sine culpa nisi subsit causa". Una aproximación jurídica, histórica y filosófica

In criminal law, the principle that responsibility cannot be attributed without fault is firmly established: nullum crimen, nulla poena sine culpa (or actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea). This seminar explores the hypothesis of whether, strictly speaking, this principle operates without exception.

From a historical perspective on law, and in light of the evolution of philosophical thought, it becomes apparent that the justification of punishment based on the offender’s fault is not without its nuances. As expressed in the regula iuris: ¨Sine culpa, nisi subsit causa, non est aliquis puniendus¨. Once the scope of this regula has been clarified within the framework of canon law, the analysis proceeds to trace its evolution and development in the thought of Thomas Aquinas and Diego de Covarrubias y Leyva.

Photo: liakada-web, Historica Universidad de Salamanca - 54013332324, CC BY 2.0