Following on from the last two episodes, which broadly dealt with issues of human freedom and justice, the question of the need for human rights arises naturally. I distinguish civil from human rights. Civil rights exist on the national level and they may differ from country to country. I propose three criteria to differentiate them from human or universal rights, which, as the term suggests, are transnational and transcultural. I explain why I think we need human rights, which I characterise as ethical benchmarks. They constitute standards for a dignified human existence.

Literature:

To start, there are excellent articles on human rights in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy and the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.