Abstract

It aims to demonstrate that human life is the primordial value in the philosophy of human rights of Norberto Bobbio (1909-2004). The “bobbian trilogy” is analyzed: human rights, democracy and peace; human life is presented as a fundamental “human” right; the ethical principle Do not kill is established! as a “categorical imperative”. This research is justified because the life of “homo vivens” is a condition for all other ethical and legal values. Keeping within the limits established by the proposed theme, the research will cover the rights to life and to live, being methodologically conducted by analyzing the main works of Bobbio on this theme. It is intended to demonstrate the importance of the imperative not to kill! as moral conduct to be followed by all, in a “categorical” sense, based on the primordial value of human life, conditio sine qua non for all other values that guide human conduct in society.