Whats the justification for human rights??
Peri-Pella
09-04-2004, 11:16
I know I heard of this before ...there was a philosophical basis for it but i'm not sure what..does anyone know or remember??
I think it had something to do with the fact that you treat yourself as one endowed with these rights, therfore as long as you can't prove others to be less than you are...you must extend the courtesy to others as well
New Mozambique
09-04-2004, 11:17
I thought it was out of human decency, not some sort of philosophical quandry that guilt trips you into caring for others.
Peri-Pella
09-04-2004, 18:40
I thought it was out of human decency, not some sort of philosophical quandry that guilt trips you into caring for others.
No I think the reasoning is that if assuming equality,society lets you get away with what you do to others, then have to let others do the same to you... Thus if you stab someone to death ...you are yourself at risk from someone else doing that to you..
Thus its all based on self-interest.
"Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the Law of Moses?"
"Jesus replied, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all
your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.
A second is equally important: love your neighbor as yourself. All the
other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on thesetwo commandments." (Matthew 22:36-40)
Peri-Pella
09-04-2004, 19:01
"Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the Law of Moses?"
"Jesus replied, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all
your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.
A second is equally important: love your neighbor as yourself. All the
other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on thesetwo commandments." (Matthew 22:36-40)
Yeah its true you find the concept of compassion in religion but not exactly any definition of rights as such- one can interpret compassion as being spreading your faith to others as well ...but a concept of human rights includes the right to privacy.
Berkylvania
09-04-2004, 19:32
Try this URL:
http://www.iep.utm.edu/h/hum-rts.htm
Yeah its true you find the concept of compassion in religion but not exactly any definition of rights as such- one can interpret compassion as being spreading your faith to others as well ...but a concept of human rights includes the right to privacy.
Yeah good point, that was just the first thing that sprang to my mind, I appreciate there's a whole lot more to it.
I guess the idea of basic human rights springs from our inbuilt moral system and our values. How much do we value our fellow humans?