Materials for the advanced subject of human dignity

The occidental conception of human dignity and human rights stems from ancient philosophy, religion and modern philosophy, in particular from humanism and enlightenment. We encountered these aspects during Basic course 2, as we considered the developments of human rights.

We have also seen that the universal claim to human rights based on human dignity is not undisputed. Indeed, criticism as to the so-called eurocentric nature of human rights idea led to the Global Ethic Movement, to which we have dedicated an advanced subject on this education server. This Movement seeks to establish a base of common values through dialogue with all religions - a so-called global ethic.

On this page, we have put together several texts that demonstrate the differing concepts of human dignity:

[These texts have been taken and translated from: Thema im Unterricht 11/1997, BpB]

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"For the Christian faith it seems obvious to turn to Creation itself in explaining human dignity. So: Man hath dignity, since he is made in God's image (...) (...) Faith (...) sees the being of man as a gift from God and therefore as being given through the relationship to God. Man does not owe it to himself."

[Martin Honecker, Die Menschenrechte als Grundlage politischer Ethik, in: Rudolf Virtz (Hrsg.), Menschenrechte in Ost und West, Mainz 1989, 17f.]

"The various human rights are all founded in one dignity of man. Human rights is a plural term, but human dignity is always singular. Therefore the dignity of man is at the root of all human rights. But what is human dignity? What is it that makes a person a person? For Jews and Christians the destiny of people is in 'the image of God' on earth."

[Jürgen Moltmann, Menschenwürde, Recht und Freiheit, Stuttgart/Berlin 1979, 18f.]

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"Political education evolved out of the concept of the 'ideal' teaching of natural law. Its pivot was human dignity. Indeed, it is only because of human dignity that any responsibility for the person exists at all. This word expresses the fact that the person is, but not exclusively, to be understood in a 'naturalistic' sense and, so, unlike nature, cannot be regarded as an object of trade. Rather dignity should be regarded and respected as a subject. The political result of this was to demand freedom as a precondition for each person to develop equally his/her best abilities. Therefore, the highest principle of political enlightenment reads as follows: Each person has an equal right to freedom and human dignity."

[Translated from Martin Kriele, Befreiung und politische Aufklärung. Plädoyer für die Würde des Menschen, Freiburg 1980, 49]

"Human dignity is certainly a model humanistic term, as we like to say (...) However, I must insist that we are immediately faced with a problem, as far as the difference between value and dignity is concerned. Dignity is, as said by Kant in the spirit of enlightenment, the absolute purpose. And you are all well aware of influencing power of Kant's moral philosophy, which was founded on his famous categorical imperative, and which always causes the layperson to experience a cold sense of uncertainty. Put in simple terms, however, the truth is that this imperative means that you may never use a person as a means only, but rather as the final purpose, which means the purpose itself must be respected. Viewed philosophically, this wording has taken on the ideal of enlightenment and perhaps even overtaken and expanded upon it." 

[Translated from Hans Georg Gadamer, Die Menschenwürde auf ihrem Weg von der Antike bis heute, Stuttgart 1988, 96]

"That which has a price can (...)  be set against another item that equally has a price. In setting a price a valuation takes place. In paying for an item, an amount of money is considered fair for a particular item, and a judgment as to its value takes place. That which has a price is absolutely of value, but can be valued set against something else. That which has dignity, however, has no equivalent. It cannot be subjected to valuation, a value cannot be put upon it."

[Translated from Werner Wolbert, Der Mensch als Mittel und Zweck, Münster 1987, 17]

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"The relevance of human dignity and the well being of people in Islam can be understood as a valuable contribution to the spiritual and moral culture of humanity. Islam's care with regard to the fate of the person is expressed in the demand for a humane standard of living for everyone.
The Koran demands that each wealthy person care for the needy. In carrying out this act of charity, the individual fulfills one of Allah's commandments. Nevertheless, this should not be taken as an inalienable right to a particular standard of living. The needs of the poor are seen as part of a relationship with the wealth of those willing to help; whereas the poor do not possess a natural right to a social share. Quite rightly, the social dimension of the Prophet's teachings are underlined. Indeed, the responsibility of the state to respect human dignity and to improve living conditions, and to increase the well-being and happiness of people is continually stressed in this regard. This social warning on the state places high demands on every form of political rule and is, without doubt, an important precondition along the path towards acceptance of the human rights ideal, however is not synonymous with the term human rights."

[Ludger Kühnhardt: Die Universalität der Menschenrechte, Bonn 1991, 149]

"What is, then, the relationship of Islam with human rights? This is a difficult question to answer, since a monolithic Islam does not exist and discussions on the issue of human rights in the Islamic world are carried out on a different, highly sensitive political plain: The relationship between an accepted Islamic tradition and a modern world influenced by the west.
Islam is a religion of laws that do not solely concentrate on the hereafter, but which also lay claim to forming the social and individual life of this life - following the will of God as manifested in the Koran. The Scharia serves this purpose. Originally, the word meant 'the path to the watering place', the right path, which has to be followed. In the figurative sense, Scharia means the canon law of Islam that regulates the relationship between God and man in its entirety. As an Islamic life order, it determines the rights and responsibilities of the people and regulates both private and public life. The Scharia, therefore, forms the pivotal point of Islamic theology. Questions as to interpretation have always led to 'church battles' and schism. During the course of this century, secular courts and state laws have repealed Islamic law in many places and restricted its use to areas such as marriage, family and inheritance law.
All the same, the relationship between Scharia and human rights remains problematic. The wording used in the western understanding of human rights sees a secularly founded right of the individual against the state and society, while Scharia emphasizes religiously founded responsibilities of the individual against the state and society. Indeed, 'the' Scharia does not actually exist. It constantly takes a different form depending on time and place. The Scharia became political dynamite with the rise of Islamic fundamentalism during the sixty's- and with it the question as to human rights in Islam. Radical Islamic fundamentalists continually demand 'reintroduction of the Scharia' - a political battle cry, which has nothing to do with lawful Islamic tradition and historic reality."

[Translated from Michael Lüders, Den Islam nicht verteufeln, in: DIE ZEIT vom 18.10.1996]

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"As in Europe, religion played an important role in forming the image of man in China. A major influence on Confucianism was was the belief in the ethical divinity of 'heaven', which flourished at the beginning of the 1st century BC. In particular, Mengzi (372-281), the 'second genius' in this school of thought after Confucius, was the philosophical heir to this. According to Mengzi, Heaven gives the individual 'his nature', making him a moral being and with this, and only with this, distinguishing him from the animals. Since the feeling of pity, the feeling of shame, as well as a sense of politeness and a sense of right and wrong means that each person is born with the 'four requirements' for humanity - righteousness, morality and a moral conscience.
(...) This state of moral being gives people a 'dignity', which no institution can take, nor has the right to give. 'The desire for dignity, writes Mengzi, is shared by all people.
(...) During his time, Wang Chong (27-97), built upon these thoughts with regard to protecting the rights of individuality with the already conformist Confucianism. For Wang Cong, 'each individual', even if he/she is not regarded as being equal by others, is worthy and good because of his/her own natural and unique talents. The wording used by Mengzi conforms to the basic principle of many western constitutions, which mention the unalienable nature of human dignity. It is then unfair to blame tradition for a current situation in which all Chinese constitutions regard the state as being more important than the individual, and regard rights as being given by the state and as a result capable of being withdrawn by the state."

[Translated from Heiner Roitz: Menschenrechte und Konfuzius, in: DIE ZEIT vom 9.6.1994, 43]

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