   #copyright

Human dignity

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Animal & Human Rights

   Human dignity is an expression that can be used as a moral concept or
   as a legal term. Sometimes it means no more than that human beings
   should not be treated as objects. Beyond this, it is meant to convey an
   idea of absolute and inherent worth that does not need to be acquired
   and cannot be lost or sold. In Immanuel Kant's philosophy, the claim is
   made that rational beings have an intrinsic and absolute value, which
   is referred to as dignity.

   The idea is in some ways controversial, mainly in regard to the
   question of whether it also applies to human embryos or non-human
   beings and if not, why. Utilitarian philosophers see a conflict with
   their principle of equal consideration of interests, and sometimes the
   idea is criticised as an example of speciesism.

German constitution

   Human dignity features as a core principle in the German constitution.
   Article 1, paragraph 1 reads: "Human dignity is inviolable. To respect
   and to protect it is the duty of all state authority." Human dignity is
   thus mentioned even before the right to life. This has a significant
   impact on German law-making and jurisdiction in both serious and
   trivial items:
     * It is the base of § 131 StGB, which outlaws representation of
       violence in certain cases and was the grounds for the confiscation
       of many horror movies and some video games like Manhunt or the
       Mortal Kombat series.
     * § 14 (3) of the Luftsicherheitsgesetz, which would have allowed the
       Bundeswehr to shoot down airliners if they are used as weapons by
       terrorists, was declared unconstitutional mainly on the grounds of
       human dignity.
     * A Benetton advertisement showing human buttocks with an " H.I.V.
       positive" stamp was declared in violation of human dignity by some
       courts, but in the end found legal.
     * The first German law legalizing abortion in 1975 was declared
       unconstitutional because the court held that embryos had human
       dignity, too.
     * In a decision from 1981- 12-15, the Bundesverwaltungsgericht
       declared that peepshows violated the human dignity of the
       performer, regardless of her personal feelings. The decision was
       later revised.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_dignity"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
