The Philosophy of Human Rights: Contemporary Controversies

Open Access Published by De Gruyter 2012

The Philosophy of Human Rights

Contemporary Controversies

Edited by: Gerhard Ernst and Jan-Christoph Heilinger

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110263886

Overview
Contents

About this book

The notion of “human rights” is widely used in political and moral discussions. The core idea, that all human beings have some inalienable basic rights, is appealing and has an eminently practical function: It allows moral criticism of various wrongs and calls for action in order to prevent them. On the other hand it is unclear what exactly a human right is. Human rights lack a convincing conceptual foundation that would be able to compel the wrong-doer to accept human rights claims as well-founded. Hence the practical function faces theoretical doubts.

The present collection takes up the tension between the wide political use of human rights claims and the intellectual skepticism about them. In particular two major issues are identified that call for conceptual clarification in order to better understand human rights claims both in theory and in practice: the question of how to justify human rights and the tension between universal normative claims and particular moralities.

Leading scholars
State-of-the-art overview
Provides the most important philosophical discussions about human rights

Author / Editor information

Gerhard Ernst, University of Stuttgart, Germany; Jan-Christoph Heilinger, University of Zurich, Switzerland.

Topics

Frontmatter Open Access Download PDF	I
Contents Open Access Download PDF	V
Introduction Open Access Download PDF	VII
I. Human Rights: Moral or Political?
Human rights: questions of aim and approach James Griffin Open Access Download PDF	3
On the nature of human rights John Tasioulas Open Access Download PDF	17
Human rights without foundations? Peter Schaber Open Access Download PDF	61
The political and moral conceptions of human rights – a mixed account Erasmus Mayr Open Access Download PDF	73
II. Rights and Duties
Problems with some consequentialist arguments for basic rights Samuel Freeman Open Access Download PDF	107
Human rights as rights Rowan Cruft Open Access Download PDF	129
On human rights and the strength of corresponding duties Corinna Mieth Open Access Download PDF	159
The moral demandingness of socioeconomic human rights Jan-Christoph Heilinger Open Access Download PDF	185
III. Universality
Common humanity as a justification for human rights claims Simon Hope Open Access Download PDF	211
Universal human rights and moral diversity Gerhard Ernst Open Access Download PDF	231
List of contributors Open Access Download PDF	249
Name index Open Access Download PDF	251
Subject index Open Access Download PDF	253

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter
Audience: Academics, Institutes, Libraries
Pages
- Front matter: 14
- Main content: 256
Keywords: Ethics; Human Rights; Justification; Universalism

eBook

Published: November 30, 2011
ISBN: 9783110263886

Hardcover

Published: November 17, 2011
ISBN: 9783110263398