The Role of Human Dignity in a World of

Plural Values and Ethical Commitments

Adeno Addis
Introduction (pages 1-4) almarioroberto@gmail.com
Human Dignity: A Brief History (pages 4-8) reonelbargos@yahoo.com
The Codification of the Notion of Human Dignity (pages 8-12)
mr.rolandocabral@gmail.com
What Does Human Dignity Entail? / Human Dignity as a Collective Label (pages
12-17) shibarquez_15@yahoo.com
Human Dignity as Autonomy (pages 17-23) gayle_bitarra@yahoo.com
The Political Conception of Human Dignity I: Habermass Neo-Kantianism
(pages 23-27) mariaelaine_bundalian@yahoo.com.ph
Political Conception of Human Dignity II: Overlapping Consensus and
Justificatory Minimalism (pages 27-41)
charles_busil@yahoo.com.ph
janicecabalag@yahoo.com
aslahon10@gmail.com
The Concept of Human Dignity in a World of Plural World Views and
Value Systems: In Defense of Incompleteness (pages 41- 46)
julius.asuncion@gmail.com
Conclusion: Human Dignity Without Foundation(s): Political Not Moral (46-49)

The Codification of the Notion of Human Dignity
1949 German Constitution / Basic Law (Grundgesetz)
The dignity of man is INVIOLABLE

South African Constitution -- One of the founding principles of the
Republic
Russian Constitution -- The dignity of the person is protected by the State.

Japan, Italy, Israel and Mexico
Incorporated the notion of dignity in their constitution documents.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
-the most important and certainly the most famous, international human
rights document, declares that ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE BORN
FREE AND EQUAL IN DIGNITY AND RIGHTS.


ICCPR = inherent dignity and inalienable rights of all members of the
human family

This view is reinforced by another of the three major international human
rights documents that make up the International Bill of Rights
ICESCR

The view that human dignity is the source of all rights has been explicitly
embraced by the GAUN.

In 1986 the Assembly declared in its guidelines for new human rights
instruments that they be of fundamental character and derive form
the inherent dignity and worth of the human person.

GA not only recognizes human dignity but it claims that human rights
must derive from it.




The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union asserts in its
preamble that the Union is founded on the indivisible, universal
values of human dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity.

There are a number of other international human rights documents
where dignity plays a prominent role.
The Charter of Fundamental Rights of European Unions
Treaty of Lisbon
The American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man
The African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights


What Does Human Dignity
Entail? / Human Dignity as a
Collective Label

THE VESSEL
VI. Conclusion: Human Dignity Without Foundation(s): Political Not Moral

* what constitutes dignity and inversely what would be regarded as indignity
are constructed in the actual lives we lead and in the conversations we conduct

* Joshua Cohen has called justificatory minimalism,

1st the approach removes the notion of human dignity from the insecure house
of foundationalism and puts it in the practical realm of work and conversation

2nd to conceive of dignity this way is to value comparative studies to see how
various communities (local, national and regional) understand and apply
human dignity

3rd the approach requires us to develop the notion of dignity from the bottom
up

4th the approach may encourage judicial and other public institutions

5th the approach does not contest the claim that there are universal rights
people have in virtue of their humanity alone