Tag Archives: Human Dignity

The Declaration’s Missing Word

Posted on August 20, 2020 by N.S. Palmer

Many recent social conflicts might have been avoided if the American Declaration of Independence had added one simple word. The Declaration’s second paragraph states the political ideals on which it was based: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Political Science, Society | Tagged Declaration of Independence, Egalitarianism, Equality, Human Dignity, Human Rights, Inequality, Rule of law | Leave a comment

Why People Are Not Things

Posted on June 17, 2020 by N.S. Palmer

Is it ever justified to treat people unequally? Before you try to answer, notice something about the question: It’s not a factual question. It doesn’t ask what is, but what ought to be. We might include facts in our answer, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Life, Philosophy, Political Science, Society | Tagged Crime control, Difference in degree, Difference in kind, Human Dignity, Human Rights, Humanity, Justice, Moral persons, Personhood | 2 Comments

What Is Humanity?

Posted on July 1, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

Back in the 1960s, the great rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote Who Is Man? based on lectures he gave at Stanford University. But to ask “who is man?” assumes that we’ve’ previously answered the question “what is man?” If humans are … Continue reading →

Posted in Jewish Philosophy, Judaism, Life | Tagged Fukayama, Heschel, Human Dignity, Human life, Human Rights, Human worth, Identity, Justice, Materialism, Morality, Scientism, The other, What is man | Leave a comment

Everyone’s Welfare Counts

Posted on October 30, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

We should try to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people. It sounds like a pretty good idea. And it is. But it’s not the whole answer. The problem is that like lower animals, humans distinguish between … Continue reading →

Posted in Judaism, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology | Tagged Choice, Ethics, Group behavior, Group membership, Human Dignity, Moral Choice, Nozick, Side constraints, Utilitarianism | Leave a comment

All People Are Equal — Mostly

Posted on August 23, 2015 by N.S. Palmer

All human beings are equal. Let’s agree on that. But we must add a qualification: All human beings are equal in the morally relevant sense. They might or might not be equal in other ways. Let me tell you about … Continue reading →