Philosophical Visions Of Human Rights

801 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: What are human rights essay

THE CONCEPTUAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Abstract
There is no a universally agreed definition of Human Rights but most scholars agree that human rights are the rights that all people have by virtue of being human beings, or human rights are derived from the inherent dignity of the human person and are defined internationally, nationally and locally by various law making bodies. In other words it is defined as the supreme, inherent, and inalienable rights to life, to dignity, and to self-development. It is concerned with issues in both areas of civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights founded on internationally accepted human rights obligations.. To dig deeper in the issue we will frame our human …show more content…

Their contribution towards the foundations of Human Rights, the present model of defining human nature including for common secular inquiry and human reason with the Universal declaration of Human rights would be unthinkable.
1 Philosophical Visions of Human Nature.
1.1. A search for Common secular inquiry and human reason

 400 B.C.E. est. - Mo Zi founded Mohist School of Moral Philosophy in China Importance of duty, self-sacrifice, and an all-embracing respect for others – “universally throughout the world”
If duties, obligations and responsibilities are neglected by the state, it will in due course loose its legitimacy and the trust of the citizen. The citizen should also obey the rules and the laws provided by the state to avoid chaos and disorder.

 300 B.C.E. est. – Chinese sage Mencious Wrote on the “human nature” – “humans are fundamentally good, but goodness needs to be nurtured”

 300 B.C.E. est. – Hsun-tzu Asserted “to relieve anxiety and eradicate strife, nothing is a effective as the institution of corporate life based on a clear recognition of individual

Show More
Related

  • Plato Vs. Aristotle

    1899 Words  | 4 Pages

    human beings are not self-sufficient so they need to live in a social environment, and 2. each person has a natural aptitude for a specified task and should concentrate on developing it (The Republic, pp 56-62). Although a person is not self-sufficient, a composition of people—a state—satisfies the needs of all its members. Furthermore, members can specialize in their natural fortitudes and become more productive members of society.      States are going to form, whether purposefully or coincidentally. For this reason, certain rules have to be enacted for the well-being of the state.

    Read More

  • Comparing John Locke and Thomas Hobbes

    1242 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many people have different views on the moral subject of good and evil or human nature. It is the contention of this paper that humans are born neutral, and if we are raised to be good, we will mature into good human beings. Once the element of evil is introduced into our minds, through socialization and the media, we then have the potential to do bad things. As a person grows up, they are ideally taught to be good and to do good things, but it is possible that the concept of evil can be presented to us. When this happens, we subconsciously choose whether or not to accept this evil. This where the theories of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke become interesting as both men differed in the way they believed human nature to be. Hobbes and Locke both picture a different scene when they express human nature.

    Read More

  • An Analysis of Matt Ridley’s The Origins of Virtue

    968 Words  | 2 Pages

    Inwardly examining his own nature, man would prefer to see himself as a virtuously courageous being designed in the image of a divine supernatural force. Not to say that the true nature of man is a complete beast, he does posses, like many other creatures admirable traits. As author Matt Ridley examines the nature of man in his work The Origins of Virtue, both the selfish and altruistic sides of man are explored. Upon making an honest and accurate assessment of his character, it seems evident that man is not such a creature divinely set apart from the trappings of selfishness and immorality. Rather than put man at either extreme it seems more accurate to describe man as a creature whose tendency is to look out for himself first, as a means of survival.

    Read More

  • Unalienable Rights Essay

    504 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to Thomas Jefferson, all men are created equal with certain unalienable rights. Unalienable rights are rights given to the people by their Creator rather than by government. These rights are inseparable from us and can’t be altered, denied, nullified or taken away by any government, except in extremely rare circumstances in which the government can take action against a particular right as long as it is in favor of the people’s safety. The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America mentions three examples of unalienable rights: “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. I believe these rights, since they are acquired by every human being from the day they are conceived, should always be respected, but being realistic, most of the time, the government intervenes and either diminishes or

    Read More

  • The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne

    1046 Words  | 3 Pages

    Human nature is the most debated topic to date. Many people think that mankind is programmed to be evil; on the other hand people argue that it is naturally good. Nathaniel Hawthorne gave his argument with the novel, The Scarlet Letter. The Scarlet Letter showed that mankind is innately good by Chillingworth’s measures, Hester’s capitulates and Dimmesdale’s noble qualities.

    Read More

  • Human Nature In Confucius, Mencius And Han Fei Tzu

    1191 Words  | 3 Pages

    Confucius, the founding philosopher of Confucianism, never explicitly details what he believes to be the inherent nature of humans. However, through his teachings and writings, his opinion can be understood to be that humans reach good nature, through self-cultivation and self-improvement. He believes that humans are improvable and teachable, but lack virtue. “Confucius

    Read More

  • X-Men: Marvel's Message for Equality

    1873 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the simplest of terms, human rights are those that undoubtedly belong to each person. These rights, from a philosophical standpoint, have certain characteristics that distinguish them from any other. According to Richard Wasserstrom, author of the article, "Rights, Human Rights, and Racial Discrimination," human rights embody several characteristics. Primarily, and perhaps obviously, human rights are those that belong solely to humans (Wasserstrom 631). Moreover, Wasserstrom...

    Read More

  • Human Rights of Indigenous Australians

    725 Words  | 2 Pages

    Human rights are the inborn and universal rights of every human being regardless of religion, class, gender, culture, age, ability or nationality, that ensure basic freedom and dignity. In order to live a life with self-respect and dignity basic human rights are required.

    Read More

  • Rights and Ethics: What We Need

    1140 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many countries around the world agree on two basic rights, the right to liberty and the right to ones own life. Outside of these most basic human and civil rights, what do we deserve, and do these rights apply to animals as well? Human rights worldwide need to be increased and an effort made to improve lives. We must also acknowledge that “just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures” (Dalai Lama). Animals are just as capable of suffering as we are, and an effort should be made to increase their rights. Governments around the world should establish special rights that ensure the advancement and end of suffering of all sentient creatures, both human and non-human. Everyone and everything should be given the same chance to flourish and live.

    Read More

  • Confucius's Human Nature

    1166 Words  | 3 Pages

    Confucius is known for stressing that human nature is intrinsically good. He stresses that human beings are born with the ability for differentiating between wrong and right. A person may not be aware from infancy which acts are tolerable and which acts are not, but all offspring feel shame, and once the children learn which deeds are bad or good, they have a normal tendency to consent of the former and criticize of the latter (Van and Bryan 27).

    Read More

  • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

    1830 Words  | 4 Pages

    Proponents of human rights argue that the concept’s universality rests in its non-discriminatory character- human rights are meant for every human being- rich and poor, white and black, men and women, young and old, leaders and followers, elites and illiterate, etc- and are all treated equally.

    Read More

  • Are Human Rights Universal?

    1599 Words  | 4 Pages

    A general definition of human rights are that they are rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled to, simply because there human. It is the idea that ‘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.’ The thought that human rights are universal emerges from the philosophical view that human rights are linked to the conservation of human dignity- that respect for individual dignity is needed regardless of the circumstance, leading to the notion that human rights are universal. The earliest form of human rights can be traced back to European history- the French Declaration on the Rights of Man and of Citizen which says that men are born free and equal in rights.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Racism In Heart Of Darkness

    1321 Words  | 3 Pages

    The inequality of basic human rights has been an issue around the world for countless decades. In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was developed as a framework for the world. This document provides “a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations” (MacNaughton et al 24). Also, it states “everyone

    Read More

  • Globalization And Human Rights Essay

    1500 Words  | 3 Pages

    …rights which are inherent to the human being ... human rights acknowledges that every single human being is entitled to enjoy his or her human rights without distinction as to race, [color], sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. [To add on, human] rights are legally guaranteed by human rights law, protecting individuals and groups against actions that interfere with fundamental freedoms and human dignity (Human rights for

    Read More

  • Third Generation Human Rights Essay

    1034 Words  | 3 Pages

    Over the past century, the basic principles associated with the concept of human rights and their universality have become an inextricable component of international and domestic affairs. As moral constructs, human rights help address societal factors on the human condition and continue to operate as the only viable framework in which human progress can be evaluated throughout the world. In this essay, I will examine the development of third-generation human rights within a unified hierarchical framework to describe how their implementation has impacted the advancement and procurement of other human rights.

    Read More

More about Philosophical Visions Of Human Rights

Open Document