Human Dignity: Its Meaning and Relevance in the United States
«Human dignity» is a term that has been used after World War II to defend human beings from unjust treatment. In the United States, it was introduced to protect those who are unable to give or withhold consent for biomedical procedures. The term has been sharply criticized, however, by materialist p...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Spanish |
| Published: |
Universidad Pontificia Comillas
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Pensamiento. Revista de Investigación e Información Filosófica |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://revistas.comillas.edu/index.php/pensamiento/article/view/21688 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849430061118128128 |
|---|---|
| author | Carlos A. Casanova |
| author_facet | Carlos A. Casanova |
| author_sort | Carlos A. Casanova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | «Human dignity» is a term that has been used after World War II to defend human beings from unjust treatment. In the United States, it was introduced to protect those who are unable to give or withhold consent for biomedical procedures. The term has been sharply criticized, however, by materialist philosophers such as Steven Pinker as well as by Thomist philosophers such as Alasdair MacIntyre. Both hold that the concept is useless and even harmful. Pinker’s main criticism is that since the term has so many meanings, it is rendered muddy and inapplicable. This paper will first show earlier responses to Pinker and then weave a new response by demonstrating that, although the term is really polysemic, it has a central meaning which has been tried and found indispensable by the central Western philosophical and juridical tradition for more than two millennia. It will be proved, thus, that the claim about its uselessness lacks ground. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9bf145bf94cd4ba08e8e5e4b8284c825 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0031-4749 2386-5822 |
| language | Spanish |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Universidad Pontificia Comillas |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pensamiento. Revista de Investigación e Información Filosófica |
| spelling | doaj-art-9bf145bf94cd4ba08e8e5e4b8284c8252025-08-20T03:28:09ZspaUniversidad Pontificia ComillasPensamiento. Revista de Investigación e Información Filosófica0031-47492386-58222025-04-0181313617910.14422/pen.v81.i313.y2025.00417685Human Dignity: Its Meaning and Relevance in the United StatesCarlos A. Casanova«Human dignity» is a term that has been used after World War II to defend human beings from unjust treatment. In the United States, it was introduced to protect those who are unable to give or withhold consent for biomedical procedures. The term has been sharply criticized, however, by materialist philosophers such as Steven Pinker as well as by Thomist philosophers such as Alasdair MacIntyre. Both hold that the concept is useless and even harmful. Pinker’s main criticism is that since the term has so many meanings, it is rendered muddy and inapplicable. This paper will first show earlier responses to Pinker and then weave a new response by demonstrating that, although the term is really polysemic, it has a central meaning which has been tried and found indispensable by the central Western philosophical and juridical tradition for more than two millennia. It will be proved, thus, that the claim about its uselessness lacks ground.https://revistas.comillas.edu/index.php/pensamiento/article/view/21688human dignityconcept of personwestern traditionbioethicssteven pinker |
| spellingShingle | Carlos A. Casanova Human Dignity: Its Meaning and Relevance in the United States Pensamiento. Revista de Investigación e Información Filosófica human dignity concept of person western tradition bioethics steven pinker |
| title | Human Dignity: Its Meaning and Relevance in the United States |
| title_full | Human Dignity: Its Meaning and Relevance in the United States |
| title_fullStr | Human Dignity: Its Meaning and Relevance in the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | Human Dignity: Its Meaning and Relevance in the United States |
| title_short | Human Dignity: Its Meaning and Relevance in the United States |
| title_sort | human dignity its meaning and relevance in the united states |
| topic | human dignity concept of person western tradition bioethics steven pinker |
| url | https://revistas.comillas.edu/index.php/pensamiento/article/view/21688 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT carlosacasanova humandignityitsmeaningandrelevanceintheunitedstates |