Seventh ethical theory: Rights ethics

We have duties all because others have rights. Every duty has corresponding rights. The basis of rights are law and nature. What is in nature is provided by law.

• nature - human rights
• law - legal rights

• nature - right to liberty
• law - right to vote

Theory of Rights

St. Thomas - rights are given due to one's involvement or belongingness to a community.
Hugo Grotius - rights are attached to the person and does not depend on human relations. Inherent moral qualities that are attached to a person.

John Locke - right to life, health, liberty, and property

US Declaration of Independence - right to life , liberty and pursuit to happiness.

French revolution - right to liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression


critics of rights

1. rights are self evident
2. not all people are capable of asserting the rights
3. no guidelines on how to handle conflicting rights
4. rights require maturity
5. not all rights are morally correct.
6. In the movie 'The Island', I have the right to use my own cells. Therefore I have the right to use my body. so it validates cloning. However, it invalidates cloning when there are individual clones since they have also the right.
7. rights ethics is debatable if it is valid or not concerning cloning.