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Another Look at Dignity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2004

MATTI HÄYRY
Affiliation:
Matti Häyry, Ph.D., is Professor of Moral Philosophy and Head of Centre for Professional Ethics at the University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom. His main research interests include theories of moral and political philosophy and the concepts used in bioethics

Extract

With the considerable attention given to UNESCO's Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights, the time has come to take another look at the concept of dignity, on which this document is morally founded. The term “dignity” now appears in many national constitutions and international bioethical statements. It has also become popular among Continental European ethicists, many of whom wish to challenge the particularly American and overtly individualistic principles of “autonomy,” “justice,” “beneficence,” and “nonmaleficence.”This paper was produced as a part of the project Genes, Information, and Business, financed in 2000–2003 by the Academy of Finland. The first draft was presented at the fourth International Bioethics Retreat in Paris, May 2001. My thanks are due to the participants of the meeting for their constructive comments and suggestions.

Type
SPECIAL SECTION: DISSECTING BIOETHICS
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press

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