Ernst Gerhard, Heilinger Jan-Christoph (eds.) The Philosophy of Human Rights: Contemporary Controversies

De Gruyter, 2011. — 270 p. — ISBN: 3110263394, 9783110263398.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.Human Rights: Moral or Political?
Human rights : questions of aim and approach. James Griffin
On the nature of human rights. John Tasioulas
Human rights without foundations? Peter Schaber
The political and moral conceptions of human rights – a mixed account. Erasmus Mayr
Rights and Duties
Problems with some consequentialist arguments for basic rights. Samuel Freeman
Human rights as rights. Rowan Cruft
On human rights and the strength of corresponding duties. Corinna Mieth
The moral demandingness of socioeconomic human rights. Jan-Christoph Heilinger
Universality
Common humanity as a justification for human rights claims. Simon Hope
Universal human rights and moral diversity. Gerhard Ernst
List of contributors
Name index
Subject index