Justice or Dignity? Reconciling Foundational Concepts in Practical Philosophy

Abstract

The meaning of justice and dignity have changed over time, as has the idea of a normative or moral ‘foundation’. Given that justice and dignity are commonly ascribed foundational roles in practical philosophy, this chapter charts important changes in these concepts and changes in how they have interacted. The ideas of rights and status capture the most persistent points of interaction between justice and dignity. However, because rights and status are themselves unstable concepts, and because both rely upon contextual theories of freedom and the state for their meaning, no simple reconciliation between justice and dignity as foundations is possible. In sum, we cannot treat justice and dignity as equally foundational if foundational is taken to mean the final determinant of our obligations.

Citation

Riley, S. (2022), "Justice or Dignity? Reconciling Foundational Concepts in Practical Philosophy", Sarat, A., Pele, A. and Riley, S. (Ed.) Human Dignity (Studies in Law, Politics, and Society, Vol. 88), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 67-82. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1059-433720220000088004