Human Dignity



Basic underlying principles of human rights
•Freedom (liberty)
•Equality
•Dignity
•These principles are complementary (or it may be argued that dignity is a more complex one), but
there may be conflicts between them.
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The Philosophical Background of Human Dignity
•Kant – Human Dignity: „Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in
the person of another, always at the same time as an end and never simply as a means."
(anti-utilitarian)
•Human Dignity is connected to the nature of a human being and is unseparable.
•It has been described by many as „a right to rights“, „article of faith of a civil religion“ etc.
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The Nature of Dignity
•Right?
•Principle?
•Value?
•Perhaps a combination of those – An underlying principle which provides a basis for more specific
human rights (See ICCPR which begins its preamble with the acknowledgment that the rights contained
in the covenant “derive from the inherent dignity of the human person.”)
•Might be considered a „compressed substance of human rights“.

Barak’s Concept
•Four aspects of human dignity
•1) Recognition as human being (equality)
•2) Freedom of will (self-determination or autonomy)
•3) Welfare
•4) Ends, not means (object theory)

The Aspects of Human Dignity
•A relatively vague concept
•Connection to: Right to life, Prohibition of Torture, Right to privacy, bodily integrity and
self-determination, Prohibition of Discrimination, (Social Rights?) et al.

Subjective or objective? Protecting dignity against the will of an individual?
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•Human Dignity vs. Contractual Freedom
•Peep Show Case, Dwarf Tossing, Prostitution, Laser Game,
•What quallifies as „Will“?
•Is there an objective standard of human dignity?
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Prohibition of Torture
•Content – Art. 3 ECHR, 7/2 Czech Charter etc.
•Specifics: Absolute nature?
•Discuss Gafgen v. Germany