Foundational. As previously mentioned, determination of which entities meet the criteria for dignity has been strongly debated in applied ethics, moral philosophy, and theology, among other disciplines. Human history is riddled with instances of the denial of the humanness of individuals considered ‘the other’, including the disabled, women, and minorities, among other groups.77 The denial of the dignity of these individuals has allowed for the denial of moral protections and moral rights entitled to dignified beings.78 Most individuals would agree that human lives are valuable. However, the properties that are adequate to determine which lives are valuable should be discussed in order to understand and defend why they are valuable and why respect is due to all human beings. In this work I will describe dignity as it applies to human beings. This dignity denotes the distinct value in humanity and will lay the ground for providing 76 Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx. “Humane Dignity.” Page 174. 77 Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, and Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx. “The Grounds of Moral Status.” 78 Xxxxxxxxx, Xxx X., and Xxxxx X. Childress. Principles of Biomedical Ethics. 6th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. ethical conduct and protecting inviolable rights, such as the right to be treated with respect.79 Dignity in its use in this thesis, is the unconditional value in every person due to humanity’s “natural capacities for conceptual thought, deliberation, and free choice, that is, the natural capacity to shape their own lives”.80 The potential for this capacity, while not immediately exercised by all human beings, is present in every human being by nature of their humanity. This is similar to the Kantian view as it is also based in rationality. However, while one of the downfalls of the Kantian view, mentioned in section 2.1.1, was that it excluded a number of individuals due to their reduced rational capacity, this theory of dignity differs greatly as it covers all individuals of the species rather than just those who possess rational capacity themselves. As human being, in general, possess a rational nature, this natural capacity, regardless of extent utilized or exercised, distinguishes the grounds for dignity in all human beings.81 Thus, those human beings who do not exercise rational capacity, such as neonates and other previously excluded groups, are still dignified beings. Similarly to the dominant Christian view, dignity is defined as foundational as it inherent to all human beings, and it i...
Foundational. This project aims to establish USC physics as a new resource in quantum technologies with superconducting circuits based on the use of superinductors.
Foundational. 2.2.2 Relational
