Principles: Human Dignity

The concept of human dignity is the foundation of all relationships, especially the relationships of political community. If other people have no dignity, no inherent value as persons, then there is no reason to treat them with respect or justice.

And yet, this idea has come under attack of late. For example, psychologist Stephen Pinker recently wrote an article claiming that human dignity is "a squishy, subjective notion, hardly up to the heavyweight moral demands assigned to it." He says that it's no basis for human relationships or morality. Instead, he suggests (following Ruth Macklin) that "personal autonomy" serves a better purpose. As Mark Shea puts it, he considers consent to be the sole criterion of what is good.

And yet, is there any reason to respect another person's autonomy except that the person's autonomy has some value that demands respect? I will agree that the word "dignity" has a number of very squishy meanings, but I cannot think of a better word to describe the value and freedom and agency that inhere in each and every human being. If this dignity is not taken for granted, then we have a tendency (repeated throughout history) of dividing the world into "us" and "them", and deciding that "they" do not deserve the same consideration or respect that "we" do; in short, a double-standard that leads to all forms of injustice.

Human dignity is a necessary foundation stone to justice, to human rights, and to a humane society.