RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The tension between self governance and absolute inner worth in Kant’s moral philosophy
JF Journal of Medical Ethics
JO J Med Ethics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP 645
OP 647
DO 10.1136/jme.2004.010058
VO 31
IS 11
A1 M Häyry
YR 2005
UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/31/11/645.abstract
AB The concepts of autonomy as the self governance of individuals and dignity as the inner worth of human beings play an important role in contemporary bioethics. Since both notions are crucial to Immanuel Kant’s moral theory, it would be tempting to think that Kantian ethics could ease the friction between the two concepts. It is argued in this paper, however, that this line of thought cannot be supported by Kant’s original ideas. While he did make a conscious effort to bring autonomy and dignity together, his emphasis on the absolute inner worth of our collective humanity made it impossible for him to embrace fully the personal self determination of individuals, as it is usually understood in today’s liberal thinking.