Noting the frequency of appeals to "human dignity" in human rights declarations, and citing a dearth of theoretical defenses of the concept, Kateb (politics, Princeton U.) endeavors in this essay to define and defend the idea in secular terms--as an existential rather than moral value--while paying particular attention to conceptual difficulties inherent in a formulation of the notion that is not theologically assisted. The first half of the essay examines human dignity as a matter of the equality of all persons. Latter sections consider human dignity as a product of the special status--i.e., the uniqueness and, in some respects, unnaturalness--of the human species. The relationship between these two aspects of human dignity is examined and applied to concerns including the structuring of human societies and humanity's role as a steward of nature. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment