Presentation file at the Workshop on "Human Dignity", Assumption University, November 18, 2015

1. The Concept of Human Dignity in
Western Thought
Soraj Hongladarom

2. Workshop on “Human Dignity”
organized by the Philosophy and Religion
Society of Thailand (PARST), November
18-19, 2015, Assumption University

3. What is Dignity?

5. Dignity
● “a way of appearing or behaving that suggests seriousness and self-control”
● “the quality of being worthy of honor or respect”
● “the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or esteemed”
● Dignity is what separates human beings from animals
● “We must treat the dying (and the dead) with dignity” → with respect and
realization that they are like us.
● Since humans have dignity, they must be treated equally and each of them has
to be accorded rights.

6. Why Important?
Law: Everyone is entitled to equal legal protection - the concept of ‘rights’ -
where does the concept come from?
Ethics: Kant - Kingdom of ends - each person is to never to be treated as mean,
but as an end.
Related concepts - dignity, autonomy, respect, rationality in thought and action

7. Socrates and Plato
The travel to Delphi - “Who is the wisest among men?” - Talks and questionings
of everyone
Shift of emphasis from the natural world to the moral world, which is human
centered - humanism
Only humans can have access to the Forms.
Three forces - pleasure, honor, wisdom

8. Aristotle
Man is “rational animal.”
Rationality as defining characteristic, and is a source of dignity.
What is important is that for Aristotle it is the polis (city-state) that is necessary
for a complete human being - thus for Aristotle cosmopolitanism, the idea that
human beings can flourish across different city-states, is unfounded.
This is in contrast with the Stoic view, as we shall see.

9. Cynicism and Stoicism
Diogenes the Cynic: “I am a citizen of the world.” (when asked where he came
from).
“The much admired Republic of Zeno is aimed at this one main point, that we
should not organize our daily lives around the city or the deme, divided from
one another by local schemes of justice, but we should regard all human beings
as our fellow demesmen and fellow citizens, and there should be one way of life
and one order, just as a herd that feeds together shares a common nurturance
and a common law. Zeno wrote this as a dream or image of a well
ordered and philosophical community.” (Plutarch, On the Fortunes of
Alexander)

10. Cicero and Marcus Aurelius
“And if this is so, we are all subject to a single law of nature, and if this is so we
are bound not to harm anyone.” (Cicero, De Officiis)
“If reason is common, so too is law; and if this is common, then we are fellow
citizens. If this is so, we share in a kind of organized polity. And if that is so,
the world is as it were a city-state.” (Marcus, Meditations)
“It makes no difference whether a person lives here or there, provided that,
wherever he lives, he lives as a citizen of the world.” (Marcus, Meditations)

11. Christianity
Greatest source of the idea on dignity
Man is created “in the image of God.”

12. http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/life-and-dignity-
of-the-human-person.cfm

13. The Catholic Church
The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human
person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the
principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion
and euthanasia. The value of human life is being threatened by cloning, embryonic stem cell
research, and the use of the death penalty. The intentional targeting of civilians in war or
terrorist attacks is always wrong. Catholic teaching also calls on us to work to avoid war.
Nations must protect the right to life by finding increasingly effective ways to prevent conflicts
and resolve them by peaceful means. We believe that every person is precious, that people are
more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens
or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.

14. Tradition
The dignity of the individual and the demands of justice require, particularly
today, that economic choices do not cause disparities in wealth to increase in an
excessive and morally unacceptable manner. Charity in Truth (Caritas in
Veritate. . . ), #32
Human persons are willed by God; they are imprinted with God's image. Their
dignity does not come from the work they do, but from the persons they are.
On the Hundredth Year (Centesimus annus. . . ), #11

15. Tradition
The basis for all that the Church believes about the moral dimensions of economic
life is its vision of the transcendent worth -- the sacredness -- of human beings.
The dignity of the human person, realized in community with others, is the
criterion against which all aspects of economic life must be measured.

16. Modern Liberal Tradition
Kant: Humans have dignity due to the fact that they are rational beings. --
According to Martha Nussbaum (“Kant and Stoic Cosmopolitanism,” Journal of
Political Philosophy 5.1(1997): 1-25), Kant appropriates this view from the
Stoics (Cicero, Marcus) -- the idea of human beings belonging to the ‘Kingdom
of Ends.’
Basically the tradition follows Kant -- Dignity of humans follow from their
rationality in such a way that norms should be cosmopolitan (in contrast to
Aristotle) -- in this case they follow ultimately the Stoic ideas (except for
communitarians, who largely follow Aristotle).

17. Dignity in today’s
world

18. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Preamble
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights
of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in
the world,
…
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their
faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person
and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social
progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

19. Article 1
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed
with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of
brotherhood.

20. Article 22
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to
realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance
with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and
cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his
personality.

21. Article 23
(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring
for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented,
if necessary, by other means of social protection.

22. UNESCO Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights
Recognizing that ethical issues raised by the rapid advances in science and their
technological applications should be examined with due respect to the dignity of the
human person and universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and
fundamental freedoms, …
Recognizing that, based on the freedom of science and research, scientific and
technological developments have been, and can be, of great benefit to humankind …
, and emphasizing that such developments should always seek to promote the
welfare of individuals, families, groups or communities and humankind as a whole in
the recognition of the dignity of the human person and universal respect for, and
observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms,

23. UNESCO Declaration
Article 2 – Aims
The aims of this Declaration are:
(c) to promote respect for human dignity and protect human rights, by ensuring
respect for the life of human beings, and fundamental freedoms, consistent with
international human rights law;

24. UNESCO Declaration
(d) to recognize the importance of freedom of scientific research and the benefits
derived from scientific and technological developments, while stressing the need for
such research and developments to occur within the framework of ethical principles
set out in this Declaration and to respect human dignity, human rights and
fundamental freedoms;

25. Article 3
Human dignity and human rights
1. Human dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms are to be fully respected.
2. The interests and welfare of the individual should have priority over the sole
interest of science or society.

26. Article 10 -- Equality, Justice and Equity
The fundamental equality of all human beings in dignity and rights is to be respected
so that they are treated justly and equitably.

27. Article 11 -- Non-discrimination and non-stigmatization
No individual or group should be discriminated against or stigmatized on any
grounds, in violation of human dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms.

28. Article 12 -- Respect for Cultural Diversity and Pluralism
The importance of cultural diversity and pluralism should be given due regard.
However, such considerations are not to be invoked to infringe upon human dignity,
human rights and fundamental freedoms, nor upon the principles set out in this
Declaration, nor to limit their scope.

29. Article 28
Denial of acts contrary to human rights, fundamental freedoms
and human dignity
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or
person any claim to engage in any activity or to perform any act contrary to human
rights, fundamental freedoms and human dignity.

30. However,

31. Ruth Macklin’s
Critique of the
Use of “Dignity”