Dignity

It is commonly thought that Kant introduced a new conception of dignity into philosophy. According to this interpretation, “dignity” is the name for an absolute inner value all human beings possess, and having dignity is the reason why one ought to be respected by others. This chapter argues that Kant uses a more traditional notion of dignity instead. He conceives of dignity as a special form of rank, an elevation of one thing over another. What is revolutionary in Kant’s account is his notion of autonomy, in that he grounds the requirement to respect others on a Categorical Imperative of one’s own reason. The chapter presents the general meaning of Kant’s conception of dignity, distinguishes his four main uses of this notion, analyzes his justification for the claim that all human beings should be respected, and sums up the differences between Kant’s conception of dignity and the contemporary one.