Dignidad como fin ultimo - Dignity as goal

A proposito de la pobreza y de todas las iniciativas que estan siendo financiadas y ejecutadas en los paises menos desarrollados, he escrito (en ingles) que necesitan servir un fin ultimo: el respeto a la dignidad de los individuos. El principio que considero fundamental es el de la moderacion, tal como lo representa el animal de la fotografia.

Developing strategies, financing initiatives and establishing partnerships are only necessary steps to advance the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. However, not all initiatives will narrow the Digital Divide or will empower women and reduce other sources of discrimination, unless a final filter and judgement is applied: the respect for dignity.

In an effort to define strategies and tangible means to achieve the MDGs, the Secretary General has prepared a report in March 2005 titled “In larger freedom” (A/59/2005). Such report mentions three ways to achieve the MDGs, namely, development, security and human rights. All can be summarized in one: “We can increase respect for human dignity in every land“.

Dignity is mentioned in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

“[The] recognition of the inherent dignity of and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world … [The] peoples of the United Nations have ... reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.”

This definition stresses that dignity is connected to equal rights, better living conditions and larger freedom, but it doesn’t actually addresses the basics of the concept. That can be found in Immanuel Kant’s ethical philosophy:

“[Man] as a person, i.e., as the subject of a morally-practical reason, is exalted above all price. For as such a one (homo noumenon) he is not to be valued merely as a means to the ends of other people, or even to his own ends, but is to be prized as an end in himself. This is to say, he possesses a dignity (an absolute inner worth) whereby he enacts the respect of all other rational beings in the world, . . . and can esteem himself on a footing of equality with them.”

This definition stresses the fact that human being must be ends by themselves and not means for others or for themselves.

Interestingly, respect for dignity is used in very different areas to separate correct and incorrect behaviors. A good example of this is the following text extracted from UNESCO’s Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights:

“The human genome underlies the fundamental unity of all members of the human family, as well as the recognition of their inherent dignity and diversity. In a symbolic sense, it is the heritage of humanity. . . . Everyone has a right to respect to their dignity and for their rights regardless of their genetic characteristics. . . . That dignity makes it imperative not to reduce individuals to their genetic characteristics and to respect their uniqueness and diversity. . . . Practices which are contrary to human dignity, such as reproductive cloning of human beings, shall not be permitted.”

Much depends on what is meant by “respect” and “right to be respected,” but this is a good example of using the right for dignity to claim that reproductive cloning violates this right and must therefore be banned. Dignity, or better, respect to dignity, could be therefore considered the ultimate goal of the knowledge society if it is to contribute to MDGs.