Alf Ross and Hal Koch: Two Approaches to Democracy as to a Philosophical Concept

The work is the attempt to fill the gap in contemporary Ukrainian philosophy of law by incorporating two names and concepts of democracy which were not known to our legal science – Danish philosophers Alf Ross and Hal Koch. It is established that Alf Ross emphasized democracy as a rational, institutional system grounded in legal realism and procedural legitimacy. In contrast, Hal Koch presented democracy as a cultural and moral way of life, rooted in dialogue, mutual respect, and education. So, while Alf Ross provides a procedural and institutional view of democracy and law, Hal Koch insists on its moral and dialogical foundation, emphasizing that law in a democracy must be rooted in a shared ethical life. This work explores their divergent yet complimentary perspectives.