PP247 Chapter 4-1: Unit4Reading1
Document Summary
Rights have a distinctive character in ethical theory and yet are connected to the obligations that we previously examined. Unlike legal rights, human rights are held independently of membership on a state or other social organization. Human rights evolved from the notion of natural rights (locke) : claims that individuals have against the state. If the state does not honour these rights, its legitimacy is in q. Natural rights were thought to consist primarily of rights to be free of interference, or liberty rights. (life, liberty, property, a speedy trial, and the pursuit of happiness) Those (cid:449)ho (cid:271)elie(cid:448)e ethi(cid:272)al theo(cid:396)(cid:455) (cid:894)o(cid:396) so(cid:373)e pa(cid:396)t of it(cid:895) should (cid:271)e (cid:862)(cid:396)ights-(cid:271)ased(cid:863) seek to g(cid:396)ou(cid:374)d ethical theory in an account of rights that is not reducible to a theory of obligations or virtues. (cid:862)i(cid:374)di(cid:448)iduals ha(cid:448)e (cid:396)ights, a(cid:374)d the(cid:396)e a(cid:396)e thi(cid:374)gs (cid:374)o pe(cid:396)so(cid:374) o(cid:396) g(cid:396)oup (cid:373)a(cid:455) do to the(cid:373) (cid:894)(cid:449)/o (cid:448)iolati(cid:374)g thei(cid:396) (cid:396)ights(cid:895). (cid:863) - robert nozick.
