La dignità dell’uomo e il diritto

Abstract

According to almost all modern Constitutions, political power is charged with the protection of human dignity. Nevertheless, the concept of human dignity remains somehow ambiguous. This is not, in fact, surprising: this paper, given on 7^th May 2012 at the inauguration of the ‘Antonio Rosmini’ Research and Study Centre, points to the same ambiguity within Kant’s practical philosophy, which is usually turned to as being the basis of the concept of human dignity. Only recently has the latter also become a juridical problem, especially in regard to bioethical questions. From a juridical point of view, the relationship between dignity and justice seems to be the most problematic aspect. From this perspective, human dignity can be seen as the link between morality and law, as long as it makes clear that the foundations of law have not been created by law itself: they are distinct from it and represent its true beginning.

Translated from German by Francesco Ghia.