Human dignity - well known in legal circles and so obscure to common man definition.

We can understand it as the general value of any person. Its value with all its qualities and characteristics, starting from those inherent in us as biological species and ending with everything that is unique to humans. Recently, phrases like: “N has lost his human dignity”, “this is a humiliation of human dignity” are increasingly being heard in society. Yes, indeed, there are things that can violate human dignity - this is violence, discrimination and oppression of someone because of their social status, skin color, gender or any other interests and personal worldview.

What does human dignity include?

Inner freedom that every person possesses from birth. Freedom of choice and manifestation of your inner world, your inner self. Humiliation and loss of personal dignity means the loss of one’s own internal values ​​and disrespect for them. Human dignity is personal intrinsic value. Respect and self-esteem of a person. Once upon a time it was actually determined at birth. But civilized society developed rapidly towards equality for all, and over time states decided that the dignity of an individual would not be determined by birth, wealth, education or social status.

A person's virtues are also often defined as positive traits character. These are the qualities that a person acquired in life. To which he was inclined from birth, which were instilled by his parents in the process of upbringing, or developed by his environment. The main examples of human dignity are:

• sincerity;
• courage/fearlessness;
• devotion;
• responsibility;
• discipline;
• determination;
• goodwill;
• calm;
• activity;
• patience;
• persistence;
• independence;
• Gratitude;
• strong will;
• communication skills;
• moderation;
• attentiveness;
• changeability/ability to quickly adapt.

It is worth noting separately that these are exactly the features that any employer will pay attention to when hiring you. Over the years, psychologists have come up with and developed a huge number of different tests to determine the merits of a person. All of them recommend that when meeting people, at work and at home, bet on your strengths, yours positive qualities. Develop them, know them and appreciate them in yourself.

However, not everything that is good for some will be good for others. Activity, determination, fearlessness are certainly the virtues of a man. However, will they be so valuable to a woman? We can rather say that For a mother, sister or friend, the following will be more desirable: calmness, goodwill, gentleness and patience. These will certainly be the virtues of a woman. Based on which traits are expressed more clearly and which ones are not so pronounced, people choose their professions and callings in life.

Most in a simple way to determine which personality virtue is more developed in you than others, experts recommend writing down on a piece of paper all the positive qualities that you know, and then giving yourself “scores” out of 10 point scale– how developed this or that quality seems to you to be.

The entire doctrine of human rights is based on one undoubted value. This value is human dignity.

Dignity is a category that has several plans and levels. In the broadest, philosophical terms, dignity is an integral positive quality of a person in its collective meaning as a representative of the human race. One of the founders of the concept of human rights, the French educator J.-J. Rousseau, believed that dignity lies in the very essence of man: “To give up one’s freedom means to give up one’s human dignity, human rights, even responsibilities... Such a refusal incompatible with human nature."

In the theory of natural law, in the philosophy of human rights, there is a kind of presumption of human dignity. The humanism of this approach is formulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and lies in the unconditional assertion that all people are members of the same human family, and they are born already possessing dignity. Everyone is equal in human dignity. By nature, people are endowed with reason and conscience and must act towards each other in the spirit of brotherhood, in the spirit of respect for the dignity, rights and freedoms of another person.

Human dignity is a prerequisite for his rights and freedoms. Only through relationships, only through people living together, through comparison with something else can human dignity be expressed. “The value underlying natural law is a worthy, internally independent and externally free life of the entire multitude of individual spirits that make up humanity,” wrote the Russian philosopher I. Ilyin.

Such a life is possible only in the form of a peaceful and organized balance of subjective claiming circles; balance, providing everyone with the same opportunity for a spiritually worthy life, therefore violating this equality only in the direction of justice.”

In addition to dignity as an objective universal characteristic, dignity is personified and embodied in specific people. And there are two more aspects here. Dignity is an assessment specific person from others

people, recognition by society of those moral, intellectual, business qualities, the degrees of responsibility that this person has. The more socially significant names a person has, positive qualities, the higher the dignity of this person. The starting point, the comparative scale by which we measure the dignity of a given person, is a certain ideal of a worthy personality. It is important to emphasize that the concept of dignity is historically specific, determined by the sociocultural and value attitudes of society.

And one more plan: dignity is subjective moral self-esteem, a person’s self-awareness of his connection with society, his significance, role, contribution, influence (self-esteem). Personal dignity contains claims to a certain attitude towards oneself, a demand (right) to respect from others, from society.

Within the framework of the theme of this book, it is important to emphasize that dignity is not only a philosophical and ethical, but also a constitutional and legal category. The Constitution of Russia (Article 21), in accordance with international standards, states: “The dignity of the individual is protected by the state. Nothing can be a reason to belittle him.”

Even treatment or punishment that degrades human dignity is unlawful. Everyone has the right to defend their dignity, their rights and freedoms by all means not prohibited by law. The State also assumes responsibilities to protect the dignity of the individual through civil and criminal means.

Perhaps no topic causes as many conflicting opinions and debates as human dignity. In essence, this concept denotes the subjective attitude of a person to himself. For many people, in order to develop great self-esteem, they first need to achieve extraordinary heights in life. People who have high demands on their personality often suffer from imaginary shortcomings and strive to improve themselves in many ways.

The formation of human dignity begins in childhood and continues in adolescence and adulthood. Human dignity is made up of many factors that can have a powerful impact on an individual's self-esteem. In some cases, the circumstance is due to how much attention was paid to her in childhood. If parents spend a lot of time with the child, are interested in his mood, successes, then gradually he develops an awareness of his importance. A mature sense of dignity is usually expressed in the desire to follow a given direction in life, to realize individual plans and dreams. Dignity has nothing to do with permissiveness.

Human honor and dignity

Honor and dignity are the inherent values ​​of every self-respecting individual. Several decades ago, the word “honor” was associated with the concepts of honesty and the ability to be sincere to the end. Today it has practically not changed and denotes a person’s desire to achieve his goals in a pure way through fruitful work on himself. Honest man treats himself and others with dignity, he will certainly apologize if he causes significant or minor inconvenience to others.

Dignity relates to concepts self-importance And . In many situations, life itself often requires the individual to great skill maintain inner freedom and be independent. Honor and dignity are important components of an adequate perception of reality. When a person can look confidently into the future and accepts his achievements that exist at a given moment in time, he becomes truly independent and happy. If the concepts of honor and dignity did not exist, accepting oneself as an individual and self-realization would become impossible. Dignity is the path to a fulfilling life. Without dignity, no development is possible.

Human dignity and freedom

How is dignity related to freedom? Is it possible to maintain dignity while being a dependent, driven person? Life practice shows that no. If a person is so insecure that he allows others to control own life, it can hardly be called full and happy ( read about). But what does freedom mean and why is a person sometimes ready to fight tooth and nail for it?

Freedom has always been recognized main value personality. Without it it is impossible to develop dignity sufficiently. Without freedom, all the achievements that a person has would ultimately be in vain. Everything we achieve, we do in order to develop our own individuality, to express ourselves in its entirety. And having dignity will help a lot here. Some people are initially driven by the desire to gain the respect of others, others begin to be proud of themselves ( read about). Be that as it may, the feeling of having freedom helps to develop dignity and build self-confidence. In fact, it is impossible to be productive without realizing your own individuality. You cannot become happy for someone else or by realizing other people's dreams rather than your own goals.

What situations require the presence of dignity?

Sometimes in life you have to act quickly without thinking about the end result. No one can exclude the occurrence of unpleasant moments. In some cases, the presence of dignity can help you feel better and cope with serious difficulties.

• Undeserved insult. When a person experiences an internal feeling of resentment, his entire being shrinks from the infringement of his own dignity. There is a feeling that you were wronged undeservedly, in vain. This condition accompanied by strong indignation and often a desire to take revenge on the offender. A state of internal devastation, fear, apathy, anxiety, and sleep disturbances are possible. Honor and dignity also suffer and undergo significant changes. The dignity of the individual mainly begins to fluctuate. While feeling resentful, it is impossible to feel whole. There is a feeling that the soul has been trampled, often a person withdraws into himself and refuses communication for some time.
• Advocacy of interests. In the case where you need to stand up for yourself, to defend your interests, dignity develops to a greater extent than in other cases. Going through difficulties strengthens character and contributes to the formation of inner strength and will. Here the theme of honor and dignity comes to the fore. The spoken words mean a lot, so special attention is paid to them. When conducting a conversation with an opponent, it is extremely important not to respond with insult to insult and to be sincere to the end.
• Conflicts within the team. Where else if not in a team? most of time is the person located? Often in this group of people there is a clash of interests, views, and opinions. It will take a lot of willpower and self-confidence to overcome significant problems every day and to seek compromises. The development of dignity will certainly occur when a person learns to separate own interests from public. It is necessary to develop your own behavior strategy in conflict situations. This can take a lot of time. But having self-esteem is worth it!

How to develop self-esteem?

From how much we value ourselves ( read about) often depends on the attitude of others towards us. Why is this happening? The fact is that when communicating with different categories of people, we form our opinions about them based on our own impressions, and they do the same in relation to us. If a person projects internal constraint and uncertainty into the external space, then those around him will subconsciously perceive this. It is known that those who do not love and value themselves should not expect respect and recognition from others. Dignity must be preserved in any situation precisely because it allows you to feel significant and important. Without this feeling, a person will never dare to set high goals and strive to achieve them. Honor and dignity are the main components of any advancement, personal growth and success in general. The tips below will help you build your sense of dignity. It is necessary to understand that the degree of its development depends directly on a person’s sense of self, on how ready he is for significant changes in his life. Self-esteem, as a rule, is formed through systematic constructive work on oneself and recognition of one’s uniqueness.

Find your own personality

If a person does not treat himself with due attention and respect, perhaps he is not fully aware of his strengths. Only after thoroughly studying your own personality can you begin to understand the motives of your actions, fight fears, and prevent disappointments.

Are you confident that you are doing what you want in life? Are the positions held appropriate? career growth your ambitions, desires, aspirations? If not, then there is a serious need to think about it. Dignity is a necessary and necessary component that helps to cope with many difficulties, to realize one’s uniqueness and originality. Nothing can create such powerful internal protection for a person as honor and dignity. How a person treats himself directly determines the attitude of the people around him. Forming your own individual view of things helps you feel significant and take an important place in society.

Professional self-improvement

At a certain point in life, each of us chooses our own professional path. This choice is dictated by both the internal needs of the individual and social expectations. The theme of honor and dignity is directly related to him. If a person, due to some circumstances, cannot succeed in one area or another, he will always feel his own worthlessness and emptiness. Nothing can compensate for the gap in education. It is extremely important for a person to feel significant, to show his individual abilities and express himself in one activity or another. Personal dignity can be cultivated through constant painstaking work on oneself.

Constant self-education

Even a professional in his field from time to time feels the need to update his existing knowledge and gain new ones. Self-education is an integral part of the life of any person for whom career and growth in the profession is of significant interest. The honor and dignity of an individual are largely determined by how successful she was in her activities. By improving his skills, a person moves forward, strives to improve his condition, and always works on his character ( read about).

A person’s dignity in this area of ​​life can either be seriously damaged or rise to unprecedented heights. If a person does not think about the topic of his dignity, then, most likely, over time, serious problems will begin in the profession.

Avoiding unpleasant company

It has long been noted that being among people who can offend or humiliate negatively affects the formation of personality. If a person is surrounded by people who, by word or deed, will interfere with his self-realization, then he will soon feel unnecessary, empty and depressed. Some individuals may inadvertently insult a person’s dignity, causing the latter to feel strongly offended. Usually those people who offend others are those who themselves do not have self-esteem. It gives them short-term joy to humiliate others, to deprive them of their inner strength and sense of balance. Everyone should take care of themselves and avoid a society that can hurt their dignity. Remember, we are treated the way we allow ourselves to be treated.

Thus, human dignity is an extremely important and significant topic that causes numerous debates and rumors in society. If the concept of dignity did not exist, there would be no personality itself. Any personal growth and self-development are impossible without awareness of one’s own value and significance. Dignity belongs to the category that is responsible for success and happiness.

The essay is included in the book “Dictionary. Psychology and characterology of concepts"

What is dignity?

• What is dignity anyway?
• What is human dignity? Is it synonymous with personal dignity?
• What is personal dignity?
• What is civic dignity?
• What do dignity and honor have in common?
• What is slave psychology?

What is dignity anyway?

We can, of course, understand denomination as value, price: “a coin worth five kopecks.” Such dignity is, in principle, relative, it must always be greater or lesser, and that which has this dignity - in principle replaceable - can be exchanged for something of equal value. The ideal expression of this fungibility is money. As for a person, he may be granted the dignity of a general (and then, say, enormous forces and resources will be devoted to rescuing him from bandit captivity), or perhaps a private (and in this case, less significant means will be used)...

But what everyone feels without any explanation worthy man means that not a single truly valuable object, and especially not a single subject, is in principle replaceable; a damaged painting cannot be compensated by money or a painting of the same value, a cut down beloved tree cannot be replanted, a lost cat cannot be replaced by another one bought at the market, and of course, a departed loved one cannot be compensated by a person of even greater merit. And not even talking about a person and completely regardless of the need for all of the above for us personally, and in a picture in which the artist’s soul is invested, and in a plant, and in an animal, we feel and respect their life - their intrinsic value. For us this is valuable in itself. value, – unlike prices something absolute - a concept that in its own way means the same as a shrine. Even if we are not always able to guard this shrine of the living - already because we were created as carnivores - but, crossing it even if forced and even in the smallest way, we cannot help but experience at least some kind of internal resistance.

So, dignity has two opposite hypostases - a) price and b) priceless, absolute, holy; and when it comes to a person, dignity is, of course, only and exclusively sacred. Needless to say, the general in this regard is quite equal to the private, because both are, first of all, people. However, the insignificant idea of ​​\u200b\u200b“price”, relative dignity, constantly interferes with our ideas about ourselves and others and disfigures our morality, and an increasingly full consciousness of the priceless, absolute dignity of everyone, plus the behavior corresponding to this, constitutes our first and, it seems, essentially only duty .

What is human dignity? Is it synonymous with personal dignity?

Human dignity is, apparently, the very absolute value of a person as such, first of all, as a simple biological individual with all its needs, common to the entire human race. Physical violence, oppression, outrages human dignity (just as it outrages, that is, angers and inclines the beast to fight back). But, in addition to this common sphere with all, in which a biological individual is not free, there is in each human individual a more or less pronounced sphere of that in which it must remain free, free, that is, always separate and “other” - this is its internal world . Man is also a spiritual individual - a personality; as a person, he does not tolerate and moral violence, violence against one's own inner world, in which, realizing his freedom - the freedom to be what he is - a person protects, at a minimum, his own uniqueness. From a certain point in a person’s spiritual development, the categories of intimate, personal affairs, personal taste, and private life appear; everything inside the personality and relating only to it, everything that is different, incomprehensible, unpredictable and even at an outside glance in no way justified or worthless becomes sacred and inviolable, uncontrollable, unaccountable. So dignity human, maybe not immediately, not from a Neanderthal, but naturally becomes a synonym personal. Personal dignity is human dignity in the fullest sense of these words.

What is personal dignity?

So, personal dignity is the absolute value of not only our physical nature, which requires external freedom from any kind of physical violence (this goes without saying), but also the shrine of our unique inner nature, which requires internal freedom from any kind of moral violence.

The individual’s habitat is other individuals; taking into account the interests of others constitutes both one’s own interest and the duty of each of them; in this environment and under these conditions, a person discovers, defines natural boundaries and defends the sanctity of his independent, uncontrollable and invisible inner world. Both entering and looking into it without invitation is an invasion, violence; by the way, even close people are those whom the personality itself dedicates into this world of yours. Children are no exception, of course: there are so many conflicts over what they want what's best, and they - in my own way... But this is a special topic.

And one more thing. Our definition of human or personal dignity will still remain incomprehensible if we do not point out that, in addition to direct violence or invasion into its sphere, in any social environment he is tempted, insulted or outright denied. Precisely, this is the idea of ​​status. We said: value in everything is opposed to price. So, dignity is the inherent and dimensionless value of each person, in contrast to the specific “price” that society assigns and reassigns to him. To the extent that the absolute is higher than the relative, the title of a person is higher than the title of a nobleman, a great artist or scientist, even a hero, and to the same extent this title cannot be disgraced by the state of a serf, the position of a goldsmith or the characteristic of a klutz. The infinite is always greater than any finite by exactly infinity... In general, human dignity is in everything autonomous from hierarchical social “dignity”, and that is why its exact synonym is personal.

What is self-esteem?

The reader has probably already felt the need for this category. Distinguishing actual personal dignity from generally human, “physical”, it is impossible not to stumble upon the following: it seems to appear only then... when they begin to feel it!

No, I hasten to make a reservation, of course, the shrine of a person, like a shrine, is absolute in everyone, and remains so completely regardless of how the person himself disposes of it, whether he himself feels it or does not feel it. If someone's soul is asleep or even artificially put to sleep, this does not mean that it does not exist at all; and therefore there is also its dignity. Let the dignity of a certain person be silent in himself- let’s say he sacrifices them for the sake of some benefits - it doesn’t matter, if only we ourselves have an idea of ​​​​the personal dignity of everyone, it exists in him, and is sacred, and is not in the least diminished for us. This is no longer his - but our business, business our dignity. Thus, a criminal can be deprived of his freedom (in essence, he deprives himself of freedom) - but do not beat him or even address him on a first-name basis; how one can regret the feminine dignity of a prostitute, but not take advantage of the fact that she betrayed it in herself - do not resort to her services...

In short, human dignity also includes the personal - at least as its sacred opportunity, which must be respected, or as a right that remains with the individual even when the individual himself does not use it; but realized personal dignity manifests itself in a person precisely by the fact that he values ​​it. He values ​​his mission as a unique personality in the universe, the freedom to remain himself.

So. Self-esteem is a moral virtue, which consists in the fact that a person’s personal dignity has grown in him to self-awareness, and with it the consciousness of the right and responsibility to defend it. When a person feels, let us say, that the law can only determine rules his life together with others, but not goals his life and not what he should believe believe- He feels his own personal dignity.

What is civic dignity?

In ancient times, the title (“dignity”) of a citizen of this state meant his right to protection from this state, its laws; Thus, a citizen could not be killed or robbed with impunity, a non-citizen - a slave or a foreigner - in principle it was possible; the slave was protected only by his status as someone's property, the foreigner by his status as someone's guest. Plus, in some cases, a minimum of compassion.

Since then, “civic dignity” has been firmly associated with a person’s willingness to defend their legal rights – and in general, this association is correct.

The spiritual progress of mankind has made great adjustments to the understanding of civil dignity that legal rights have come to be understood as rights natural, that is, determined not by state power, but exclusively by the very nature of man and constituting the basis of his personal, inalienable and absolute human dignity. That is, everything in legislation that does not contradict natural rights, or “human rights,” as they are also called, can only be recognized as legal, while other laws in the state, on the contrary, can be regarded as violative and in this case should be rejected . Legal consciousness is precisely consciousness natural rights.

So, a person’s civic dignity is his sense of self-worth, defending himself in the state and, if necessary, from the state itself; This legal consciousness, as a deeply personal feeling of one’s own and others’ objective natural rights, the complete and exact code of which dictates to everyone nothing more than his sense of self-worth. The readiness to obey any, even inhuman, laws is the readiness to submit not to justice, but to power as such - and that is slavery. Civic dignity is the opposite of slave psychology.

If dignity is absolute by definition, then how can it be “lost”, “dropped”, “trampled” or “raised”?

We have already touched on this: it is impossible to either take away dignity from a person or give him dignity. But, due to the disadvantage feelings of his inalienable personal dignity, the person himself may not be up to par: by acting against conscience (which is the main content of personality) or by disdaining shame (which is the instinct to preserve the personal, intimate) - preferring some benefits to one or the other. This is the only way to “lose” or “drop” dignity. But this remains personal matter lost and dropped - worthy people will not take advantage of this in another. To humiliate someone who has already humiliated himself is like committing a crime with someone else’s hands: the same crime, only even more disgusting.

Yes, so what does it mean to “trample” someone’s dignity? This means committing something that cannot be reconciled with justice: committing violence, regardless of the flesh or soul. In fact, the dignity of a person cannot be diminished, even by killing the person himself. But feeling dignity can be insulted with a word - and in urging us to react to insults, this feeling is absolutely right. Sometimes the struggle for personal dignity is our absolute duty - for example, nothing can force us to betray another; sometimes refusal of such a struggle means refusal of revenge, forgiveness is the most worthy response to an insult. But even in the latter case, the right to protection of dignity is inalienable. In general, it is impossible to trample on dignity, but even trying to do so is a crime.

Well, and – “educate”. Clearly, this means to educate in a person feeling his personal dignity. Conscience and shame must be personal for a person - not slavish, not derived from fear or obedience - so without cultivating such a feeling, a worthy education will not work...

What is the relationship between personal dignity and personal merit?

The dignity we are talking about - and not only human or personal, but also civil - is always singular; It has nothing to do with complaints or personal merits. It is not awarded for merit, it is in us - initially.

Dignity in everyone respected, there may be advantages loved, cause admiration; respect does not require love. And yet, there is one way that dignity (plural) can serve dignity (singular): they strengthen our sense of human dignity in general, making our humanism optimistic. After all, one can comprehend the absolute of human dignity in this way: this is all the best that a person is, in principle, capable of.

What do self-esteem and pride have in common?

Nothing. More precisely, self-esteem is basically the opposite of it. It should be, period; After all, this is your duty to yourself, and duty is not merit. Generally speaking, you can be proud (and there is no need) only for what distinguishes you favorably from others - dignity is inalienable in everyone. But even if the majority betrays their dignity before your eyes, and at the cost of terrible efforts you manage to preserve it, and this seems to make you stand out - this fact will not give a worthy person the slightest pleasure and will not serve pride in any way.

However, those who imagine that dignity is relative - measured by position - will certainly perceive in everyone whom they consider below themselves, any manifestations of their own dignity are real pride... But this, as they say, is their problem.

What do personal dignity and honor have in common?

The concept of honor connects the seemingly incompatible: status, something in principle relative, and dignity, in principle absolute. Honor is a social status (a place on a hierarchical level or in public opinion), which one considers to correspond to in body and soul as a matter of personal dignity.

The category, as we see, is morally very dubious. Even if “position obliges” (that is, honor obliges) to something good, this is therefore worthy, but it is better that dignity itself obliges us to do good, regardless of position. After all, there are provisions that do not oblige you to do anything good...

Honor, I thought, is also, on the contrary, personal dignity, which one’s status forces one to guard. Here is a duel: here, in order not to fall in the eyes of society, they seem to be defending their personal dignity. The depravity of this position is clearly demonstrated by the duel itself. – Dignity should be defended for its own sake. But the dignity of a truly worthy person, checking his own conscience, and not with the eyes of others, not everyone can insult, even trying to do so; and revenge does not change anything, and in itself is unworthy; and the lot that is a duel (otherwise it is murder) is a thing that outrages a person, as a rational being, by its mere senselessness...

In general, honor and dignity are, if not different in everything, then at least interchangeable. Some may have honor, others may have dignity. Take careerism, or ambition: this is precisely the willingness to pay for honor with dignity...

What do dignity and aristocracy have in common?

Indeed: aristocracy seems to have something in common with self-esteem in that it recognizes the dignity of an individual as innate to him and therefore inalienable. They also say that the liberation of nobles from corporal punishment contributed to the development of a sense of dignity in them - that is, this aristocratic privilege contributed to dignity; It's probably partly true...

And yet, from the starting point, from the idea of ​​innateness, aristocracy and self-esteem diverge by one hundred and eighty. A sense of dignity is a feeling of the innate immeasurable value of everyone, aristocracy is a belief in one’s innate and measured, albeit high, price. But the value of the price does not accept, even the highest. Then, honor, in contrast to dignity in the proper sense of the word (and aristocracy - as an innate status - is, clearly, about dignity as honor), - honor must rightly be based on some kind of merit; the idea of ​​inherited honor, independent of any personal merit - family honor - is an idea from those times when the individual did not mean anything, but the race did - that is, this is a savage, primitive idea, pure archaism. The very emerging idea of personal dignity means natural death ideas about something ancestral dignity.

What do dignity and prestige have in common?

Although prestige conceptualizes itself precisely as dignity, these are antagonists.

Prestige is the aura of well-being, that is, the honor given to well-being. That is why it is more difficult for a rich man to squeeze into the kingdom of heaven than for a camel through the eye of a needle: if he serves prestige, then it is not dignity. It’s definitely impossible to serve these two gentlemen at the same time. For dignity is the inalienable honor of being simply human, which manifests itself most clearly, perhaps, precisely in the extreme degree of disadvantage.

What is slave psychology?

This is a willingness to gain some advantages at the cost of personal dignity (human, civil). At least “honor” (honors, high position); “nobleman”, “serf” - words of the same root...

(One note: A beggar - even if he is able to earn money otherwise - is still not a slave and not even a slave at all - he sacrifices not his dignity, but only his social status, which has nothing to do with human dignity. Moreover, a bribe for this refusal of his from competition for a place in the sun is voluntary - not criminal. A slave is rather someone who will do anything for the sake of a prestigious place.)

But the entire true, social and planetary scale of the problem of slave psychology, its nightmare, has been revealed by new times. The name of this nightmare is totalitarianism.

In the twentieth century, we fully learned that the main benefit, most likely achieved at the cost of dignity, is a special kind of irresponsibility, convinced irresponsibility - that is, responsibility exclusively to the authorities with its ideology, freeing from personal understanding and with it from conscience. Conscience is replaced by devotion and/or ideology, respectively, reflections and hesitations are replaced by enthusiasm or its decayed variety, impenetrable formalism. If the sanctity of personal dignity is betrayed, that for which it is sacrificed must become holy; therefore, a slave is a slave in his shrines, and this is the most surprising and most repulsive thing in slave psychology at first glance. The name of any of his shrines and ideals - no matter how he calls them - is power. Verily, all power for him is from God, except only weak government... Communism, Nazism and Orthodoxy will easily coexist in him, because the main thing for him in these ideologies is readiness for total power, and not at all how Marx, Hitler and Pobedonostsev could agree on issues of theory...

What is national dignity? How are personal dignity and national dignity related? civil and national?

National dignity is an inalienable right to my personal dignity to the full amount national characteristics(if they exist, because a person may not even have a nationality) and habits, attachments and preferences (again, if they exist), which I will only consider part of my inner world.

As for some special “national” dignity that would add something to my personal or, from someone’s point of view, subtract something from it - it is obviously a relic tribal system, a dead man doing his destructive work among the living, the stupidest and most dangerous chimera. The idea of ​​independent “national” dignity and the idea of ​​personal dignity are mutually exclusive ideas. This is what we see: both baseness and national idea...

So, national dignity is, simply put, the personal dignity of everyone, which does not allow oneself to be insulted, in particular, on ethnic grounds. That is, it is impossible to elevate people on the basis of nationality, but to insult them - you name it. That Pushkin or Tolstoy were Russians does not in any way decorate Makashov, but that Makashov is indignant in the name of Russians - he insults the national dignity of Russians to a greater extent, essentially, than the dignity of those whom he is trying to insult. The latter too, of course...

(More about this. “It’s not the nationality that is insulted, but the people.” “Why,” asks the famous governor, “do I have the right to insult even Yeltsin, but I can’t insult the Jews?” Believing that the governor is not a hypocrite, but really does not understand, he can It would be nice to try to explain: because you are blaspheming not specific Jews, but Jews in general. By criticizing a person, you are proceeding from some grounds - which he can challenge - but by blaspheming nationality, you are blaming everyone without evidence, including those who were not born; this is a fundamental non-recognition of their human dignity, and therefore, by the way, a fundamental blessing of genocide...)

But maybe national dignity has something to do with civic dignity? – In a national (fascist) state, some kind of “Germany for the Germans” or the supposed “Russia for the Russians”, it would have - if in such a society it was even possible to talk about citizenship - but not in a civil, legal society. Here, any law that concerns not the rights of all citizens, but the rights of a particular nationality, must thereby be recognized as violative. And for such a legal conclusion there is no need to be Chairman of the Legislation Committee– only an average level of intelligence and a sense of civic dignity are enough.

Why is civic dignity associated with liberalism?

Having recognized the truth that the sanctity of private life and personal dignity are one and the same, we have already postulated this very liberalism.

So, it turns out that conservatives cannot have self-esteem? – Indeed, a complete conservative authoritarian does not really believe in the absolute dignity of everyone; on the contrary, he believes that dignity and place in the hierarchy are one and the same thing, so from his point of view, the idea of ​​dignity is precisely an authoritarian, anti-liberal idea. .. Fortunately, there are no completely complete conservatives (man is a complex being) - it happens to them, for example, to sympathize and help someone whom they do not respect at all - so in order to perceive the idea of ​​absolute dignity, and with that some then some bits of liberalism are not completely lost.

By the way: what is the connection between dignity and property rights?

If misfortune takes away your property, it will not affect your dignity in any way; if it is taken away from you, you have been subjected to violence and, to that extent, your human dignity has been insulted. If you are deprived of yourself rights property - allowing you to use it as much as you see fit, “out of your hands” - this means that your own personal dignity is not recognized in principle - if not in a moral, then in a precise legal sense, you are turned into a slave. Thus, a communist state is a slave-owning state. Whether the slave owner feeds him well or poorly; Does it provide more instead of housing? living space; which leaves the slave in personal property (only just toothbrush or even allow you to own a car); is his judgment ferocious or the most humane in the world; does he treat all sick people equally or does he spend more on those to whom he hopes to return ability to work, and in general whether he gives the slaves everything equally or whether he has favorites - all these are questions, of course, vitally important, but, in the sense of dignity, slavish.

Needless to say that " private property“- that is, the right of property is a necessary condition for pluralism, freedom not only to have opinions, but also to express them: without publishing houses in private and, accordingly, independent, different hands a slave-owning state can safely promise any freedom - it still won’t happen.

In general, what is property? This is the right of a person to dispose of something at his own discretion - the exact definition of freedom! So any right (freedom) is a kind of “ownership right”: to property not obtained by robbery, to one’s own special views, to one’s dissimilar behavior... But even in the narrowest sense of these words, the right of ownership is guaranteed by law private life, guaranteed to everyone the minimum sphere of his personal. Whoever deprives you of this right will acquire ownership of you - we have already talked about this. - So. Property does not constitute dignity. But our very own dignity is ours sacred and inviolable own!

Does civic dignity presuppose the necessity of the entire sum of political rights? Or are civilians enough?

Napoleon believed that “freedom is a good civil code.” Napoleon, of course, is an interested party. But Pushkin, in letters to his wife, which Benckendorff opened, taught the latter that “it is very possible to live without political freedom; without family immunity it is impossible: hard labor is infinitely better”; and in the poems “From Pindemonti”, also expressing complete disregard for political rights, almost opposed to them the idea of ​​personal dignity: “for power, for livery / do not bend your conscience, your thoughts, your neck”...

In principle, Pushkin is probably right - I would not have gone to the polls if some of the candidates had not caused horror and disgust; but there are always such people... And having come to power, it is dignity in people that they promise to eradicate... That is, life shows that without political rights, civil rights are in no way guaranteed.

Why is democracy unthinkable without a developed sense of self-esteem among citizens?

The main thing is not democracy, but dignity itself. And this is what needs democracy, a state of law. So for the triumph of democracy, a developed sense of civic dignity is required in people, because without it it itself is not needed...

In practice, the question, of course, is somewhat different: will democracy, which is urgently needed by the spiritually mature part of society, survive in conditions where the spiritually infantile part of it constitutes the majority? And do we have the right to fight for it, when the majority perceives the government’s openness to criticism as anarchy and disorder, elections as ingratiation (a force that alone it can respect would not ingratiate itself), the absence of a generally binding ideology as “lack of spirituality” , – and all this provokes an increase in crime, drug addiction, and the number of suicides?.. The question is moral, that is, clearly unsolvable, and not entirely out of place. I will only say that once dignity has awakened in a person, he simply does not fight for it can't.

(But what could such a situation mean: a person seems to want democracy, but has no idea about his own dignity? Only that he, like honest retrogrades, cannot imagine any other order than the stick, and democracy for him is muddy water, in which he learned to catch some kind of fish. If the legal order is ever implemented on our sixth part of the earth, there will be no such specimens left.)

How do the idea of ​​human dignity and humanism relate?

Affirmation of the dignity of human nature and all the priorities and rights that flow from this dignity is the very general definition humanism. So, literally about everything that humanism can desire, we can safely say: human dignity itself demands it!

For example, from the idea of ​​an inalienable and uncontrollable sphere of personal dignity it follows directly tolerance(another name for humanism), that is, the willingness to recognize the legitimacy of any views on the world and any modes of behavior, except involuntary and aggressive ones; human dignity itself forbids an individual to betray reason within himself, prefers to believe the truth, that is, logic and facts, but not any ideology; it itself finds it necessary to spend money on science and education; in itself presupposes that everyone deserves good medicine, and not a select few... But what the idea of ​​dignity specifically states - and what is very appropriate to emphasize here - is that even human happiness cannot be achieved at the cost of human nature! To remake a person himself in accordance with a certain understanding of his happiness is the formula of totalitarianism, the most terrible tyranny, one of the names of which is communism. The more frantic the general happiness given to individuals by a totalitarian society, the more, from the outside, it evokes disgust - disgust mixed with horror. Refusal of personal dignity is a renunciation of one’s nature, voluntary ugliness.

How does civic dignity serve the homeland?

Obviously, civic dignity and, even more so, simple human dignity are purely cosmopolitan categories. All collective dignity is inversely related to self-esteem. It is no coincidence that our politicians are divided into patriots and democrats - but ours, the American ones, are also divided approximately this way. – But, says Solzhenitsyn, woe to the country where a person is either a democrat or a patriot! IN general view, I agree with his aphorism (only in general, because I will probably interpret it differently than Solzhenitsyn himself would have liked). Namely, if we saw the greatness of the country not in the way that patriots see it, that is, not in a force capable of inspiring fear in others - but we saw this greatness in its dignity– then we would find that cosmopolitanism, as a basis for universal human values, is the best kind of patriotism for any country.

Patriotism - in the “democratic” sense - is a normally developed sense of responsibility, indicating to a person that it is his native land and those people among whom he lives and with whom, willy-nilly, he is connected in soul and body, and require his attention above all else. Before, but not instead of and not even mainly. We are responsible for our homeland, because in the sphere of responsibility to man in general, that is, to all humanity, it is the homeland that is the area for which it is most natural for us to be responsible. Such a responsibility today, for example, hardly consists of putting a spoke in the Americans’ wheels just to capriciously prove to them our importance; and not in proudly refusing humanitarian aid (some of us, the wealthy, refuse to help others of us, the poor: what a travesty of dignity!)... So, patriotism is like a feeling personal responsibility first of all for what you have to do closest relationship- a direct extension of a sense of personal dignity.

Notes

(1) “Respect for dignity is immeasurable.” – Abelev G.I. Dignity in life and in science. Partially published in the newspaper “Poisk” on January 16, 1990. See also on the website "Harry Abel. Essays on a Scientific Life". – In contrast to this – for example, Dahl’s definition of dignity: “excellent quality or excellence; rank, rank, rank, significance, etc.”

(2) “...I am also sure that I am far from the only one who, at some point in my life, suddenly clearly realized that I, for my part, completely and completely do not fit into the world around me. I feel that there is some “remnant” in me that belongs to me and only to me. For the world it may mean nothing, but for me for some reason it has absolute value, has the quality of undoubted reality and is associated by me with my Self.” – Kuvakin V.A. Your heaven and hell. M.-SPb., 1998. Pp. 60.

(3) “...We acutely and clearly feel that every person has a sovereign domain, which includes a range of issues subject to his alone and constitutes the subject of his inalienable right. This is the area of ​​his dignity. It seems to include everything that a person needs to develop his own opinions, attitudes and decisions. Some constants in the field of dignity are privacy, privacy, which constitutes the purely personal sphere of a person’s life, as well as his national and religious self-determination. ... The area of ​​dignity is inviolable, its boundaries must not be violated. By invasion of dignity we mean any action that forces a person to a certain opinion, attitude, decision or action, depriving him of freedom in one of these manifestations of dignity. This obviously includes the imposition of an opinion, pressure on a person’s position, ultimatums, as well as extortion of an opinion, attitude or even sympathy. ... The area of ​​dignity is not accountable. There is no authority other than one's own reason and conscience to which a person must give an account of issues or actions that fall within the scope of his dignity. The demand for a report is an invasion of this sovereign area.” – Abelev G.I. Dignity...

(4) “The right to one’s own dignity is the most fundamental and inalienable human right. Even in situations in which a person’s life can be controlled, such as in war, no one has the right to deprive a person of his dignity, the right to remain himself.” – Abelev G.I. Dignity... – My opinion, however, is that the idea of ​​dignity directly denies war.

(5) See, for example, Kuvakin V.A. Your heaven and hell. Page 303

(6) See about this - Kuvakin V.A. Your heaven and hell. Page 81-88

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AUTONOMOUS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

HIGHER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Leningradsky State University named after A. S. Pushkin

Department of Psychophysiology and Clinical Psychology

Coursework

on topic:

"The concept of human dignity"

Completed by: 4th year student

761 group Shevchuk S.V.

Checked by: Cand. ps. n.

Kapitanaki V.E.

St. Petersburg 2009

INTRODUCTION -

Chapter 1. History of the formation of the concept of “human dignity” in the works of various philosophers

1.1 Origins of the formation of the issue

1.2 What is human dignity?

Chapter 2. Areas of distribution of the concept of “human dignity”

2.1 Psychological asect

2.2 Religious asct

2.3 Legal aspect

Conclusion -

Bibliography

- INTRODUCTION -

If we consider the concept of “dignity” separately, it is necessary to specify what exactly we mean. This concept is used in the context of various sciences and areas (psychology, philosophy, ethics, jurisdiction, religion, etc.), in each of which, it has been considered from different points of view for many years.

This problem was dealt with by such scientists as: I. Kant, A. Maslow, J. Mead, I.S. Cohn, C. Rogers, E. Erickson, T. Shibutani, B. Pascal, L. Feuerbach, D. Hume, A.N. Leontyev, L.S. Vygotsky, B.G. Ananyev, S.L. Rubinstein, M.M. Bakhtin, N.A. Berdyaev, O. Weininger, A.G. Asmolov, E.I. Isaev, G.L. Tulchinsky, E.N. Trubetskoy, G.D. Banzeladze, V.I. Slobodchikov, Yu.M. Orlov, A.E. Popov, V.V. Stolin, I.I. Chesnokova and many others.

The relevance of this topic is the great interest in the problem of “human dignity”, a lot of controversy among scientists in different fields of knowledge and, as a result, its insufficient knowledge.

The purpose of the course work is to consider the concept of “human dignity” from the perspective of various sciences and fields of knowledge.

We set ourselves the following tasks:

Explore existing theoretical material on this issue;

Compare on different historical stages definition of this concept;

Explore the concept of “human dignity” in various areas knowledge.

The subject of this work is the definition of the concept of human dignity. And the object of research is a person with a value-based attitude towards himself and other people.

Chapter 1. History of the formation of the concept of “human dignity”ministry» in the works of various philosophers

1.1 The origins of the formation of the problem

The roots of the concept of “human dignity” go deep into antiquity; they are only considered in the context of other concepts. When Aristotle or Spinoza speak of the completion of man's nature in his personal life, we can assume that in the development of spiritual abilities the completion of human nature must be realized. For each historical era characterized by its own type of personality, with its own qualitatively unique level of development of self-esteem, determined by the prevailing production relations in society.

Ideas about human dignity have changed over time. IN Ancient Greece, whose culture serves as the source of the intellectual development of Europe, human dignity is understood as the elevation of the individual above circumstances. Dignity for a resident of the ancient Greek polis is the prerogative of a free citizen.

The Renaissance, striving to overcome the church and class restrictions of man, makes the theme of dignity central to the humanistic thought of that time. It connects human dignity with the universality of our abilities, with the fact that each person is a microcosm in which the macrocosm is reflected and expressed.

The idea of ​​human dignity as the highest value and high purpose of a person was put forward and developed by the Humatians of the 14th-18th centuries. in connection with a new understanding of man (Petrarch, J.J. Rousseau, I. Kant, I. Fichte). The bourgeois people of this period proclaimed the high value of man, regardless of social origin. “Dignity is not lost from a person’s low origin, as long as he deserves it with his life” (A.K. Dzhivelegov).

Human dignity is understood as the ability to rise above determination natural conditions, as the ability to rise above the play of unconscious forces trying to crush him and subjugate him. It developed among the enlighteners of the 18th century, who connected the dignity of man with the provision of his natural rights and considered freedom as a necessary condition for the preservation and development of human dignity (J. J. Rousseau).

In the philosophy of the 18th century, the problem of honor and dignity of the individual arose with the greatest urgency in I. Kant and G. Hegel. (C) Information published on the site
I. Kant comes out with a demand for respect for human dignity, but he puts dignity at the basis abstract concept morality and does not indicate those specific business, spiritual, moral qualities person, which determine his actual public importance.

He argued that man, as a rational being, can never be a means like a simple thing, but is always an end in itself. From the rationality of a person arises, according to I. Kant, his dignity - the special value and significance of people as individuals. According to I. Kant, human beings realize their innate ability for autonomy in the noumenal world. This is what gives humanity dignity.

But first things first. If you try to find the first mention of human dignity, you cannot help but mention the Chinese philosopher Confucius, who reinterpreted the concept of the “noble husband.” This was probably one of the first attempts in the history of mankind to identify the attributes of human nobility, which in turn are inextricably linked with dignity.

In Greek antiquity, the problem of nobility was also not neglected. Noble Greeks often called their sons using the root “aristo” - nobility. The very concept of “aristocracy” in ancient Greek literally means “the power of the noble” and is one of the oppositions to democracy, as the power of all free people.

“Ancient ethics is primarily a teaching about virtues and a virtuous personality,” as a result of which in the Middle Ages the most significant prerequisite for aristocratic culture appeared - European knighthood. Research on the history of morality in the Middle Ages already includes a fairly wide range of interpretations of the concept of nobility. Thus, in her work M. Ossovskaya “The Knight and the Bourgeois: A Study in the History of Morality” uses the terms “chivalry” and “nobility” primarily in relation to ᴨȇrsons Homeric epic. This approach seems very social, since in the history of culture there is a widespread idea of ​​the phenomenon of chivalry as a typical and scientific phenomenon of medieval Western Europe. In Homer's era, this term simply did not exist. In general, the work shows the connection between concepts of human virtues, human qualities, with questions about the formation of knightly and bourgeois personality models, personality ideals, behavior patterns, and specific merits of a particular person.

The connection between the concept of nobility and the understanding of human dignity is clearly visible in the example of the work of O.Yu. Zakharova “Field Marshal General, His Serene Highness Prince M.S. Vorontsov. Knight of the Russian Empire." Doctor of Historical Sciences O.Yu. Zakharova gives excerpts from letters, reviews about the son of Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov - young Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov. According to Sofia Vladimirovna Panina: “I can only congratulate you on the upbringing given to your son: his ability to explain himself... shames our youth, who... do not shine with virtues at all, so relations with them could even bring harm. However, from this side you have nothing to fear for your son: he, apparently, has so much prudence that he will not stray from the path you indicated.” In my opinion about M.S. Vorontsov agrees with S.V. Panina and Count F.V. Rostopchin: “It didn’t take much insight to notice all the good fatherly qualities in your son: any stranger would have seen it. What struck me most about him was his moral purity, calmness, evenness of spirit and sound judgment.”

Although the very concept of “nobility” has been used very widely for more than a century, it has become the subject of social interdisciplinary consideration extremely rarely. It seems appropriate to assume that an adequate interpretation of this concept is possible in connection with understanding the problem of synthesizing individual human virtues. In this regard, it is worth considering in a little more detail the very concept of human dignity through the prism of the history of culture and literature.

Human dignity as the most important category of humanism has been studied for centuries. Thus, Tomaso Campanella in “The City of the Sun” described the direct relationship between nobility and social status citizens on the number of mastered sciences, crafts and arts. So, even among the concepts of the Renaissance, there are interpretations of nobility as the result of a synthesis of individual virtues. The dependence of social status on the wealth of human merits was not taken for granted by contemporaries. Campanella's project could not receive public approval. For the first time in the history of mankind, this topic was brought to the attention of the general public in the next era - by the publicists of the French Enlightenment.

The social resonance was due to two circumstances: the unprecedented role of the press in France in the middle and late XVIII century and scientific clarification of the possibilities of self-education among that layer of the population that challenged the aristocrats for leadership positions in society. Bourgeois individualism, as the brainchild of the Renaissance, brought a lot of new things to the meaning of the ancient concept.

The Titanism of the Renaissance brought to life not only great claims and ambitions, but also great needs. One of the great needs of the elite of European civilization was the need for aristocracy. It was the Renaissance that for several centuries formed the class that would later be called the aristocracy of European civilizations in modern sense this word.

The Third Estate of France, speaking essentially, made a scientific social order to the science of its time - to find convincing arguments in favor of the idea that the nobility of an individual does not depend on pedigree. This point of view was most often unacceptable to aristocrats. Nobility was more often considered an innate characteristic. Moralism of the 18th century sought to show that high human virtues can be found not only among aristocrats by birth, but also among enlightened gentlemen from the so-called. "common people". They didn't stop there. In Voltaire's work "The Innocent" the American Indian is depicted as integral and morally pure man, while Europeans are slaves of conventions. This was, in particular, the contribution of the bourgeoisie of the 18th century to the knowledge of human nobility.

The problem of dignity was illuminated in the ethical works of the outstanding German thinker of the 18th century. Immanuel Kant. Kant argued that man, as a rational being, can never be only a means like a simple thing, but is always an end in itself. It is from the rationality of a person that, according to Kant, his dignity arises, the special value and significance of people as individuals.

Each person has dignity due to his rationality and belonging to the human race, thus dignity is a generic quality intelligent beings. At the same time, the great moralist argues, everyone must also recognize and respect the dignity of other people. All people are equal in their dignity, in this sense there are no more significant or less significant among them.

I. Kant's ideas about dignity have become fundamental to the rationalistic ethical thought of recent centuries. Kant bases dignity on rationality as a matter of fact. human quality, and, being an irreligious author, does not mention God a word. In contrast to I. Kant, the entire religious and philosophical Western European tradition sees the dignity of man in his likeness to God. The Lord created man in his own image and likeness, he put into him a spirit that is higher than the limited earthly mind, and although man sinned and fell, he retains his deep connection with the Almighty.

The essential forces of man can be developed and ordered either by society or by own initiative personality.

Only modern times begin to consider dignity as belonging to every individual, and not just representatives of certain classes. All people are formally recognized as having the right to be human and to respect themselves. This happens very slowly, gradually. Dignity, as the property of one and all, is a very recent phenomenon in the history of mankind. In Russia, this problem is considered in the philosophical, pedagogical and psychological works of K.D. Ushinsky, L.N. Tolstoy, revolutionary democrats V.G. Belinsky, A.N. Herzen.

The concept of dignity is analyzed in detail by revolutionary democrat V.G. Belinsky. The problem of the human person, its rights and dignity was his central problem. Humane attitude towards people, according to V.G. Belinsky, demands an active struggle against everything that degrades human dignity. He emphasized the relationship between human dignity and practical affairs: “Only in honest and selfless action lies the condition of human dignity.”

Of great interest is the thought of A.I. Herzen on the harmonious combination of personal interests with public interests. This is the highest moral dignity person: “I believe that reasonable recognition of self-will is the highest moral recognition of human dignity.” In the combination of personal and social in the life and actions of a person A.I. Herzen saw the moral dignity of a person - a person is recognized as a person to the extent that he recognizes himself as a person.

Western scientific thought is represented by the works of A. Adler, P. Boranetsky, A. Vallon, W. James, A. Maslow, D. Mead, D. Rawls, E. Erikson. Among foreign ethical concepts, the concept of human dignity is systematically developed in Prometheism by supporters of heroic ethics. The leader of this trend is Boranetsky, who considered dignity to be a criterion moral concepts. Dignity is the central category of this teaching and the basis of all values. “Without the category of dignity... there could be no values, no love, no struggle, no goals, no ideals, no hopes in the world.” D. Mead’s interactional theory tries to imagine how such personal properties are formed in the process of human development , which cannot be unambiguously classified as either external or internal. Sociodynamic theory (R. Woodworth) focuses on the formation and improvement of external behavior. Herbert Spiegelberg observed: "... human dignity seems to remain one of the few common values ​​in our world of philosophical pluralism... The main problem today is our lack of sufficient clarity about what human dignity means."

A person’s ability to have the meaning of life is considered by V. Frankl, where the source of meaning is human dignity, because the “cog man” is not capable of searching for the meaning of life, finding his own values, which in in this case, are beyond the power of man.

3. Freud sought to create an impartial theory, free from prejudices both his own and that of the historical period in which he lived, however, in fact, psychoanalytic theory reflected topics that were relevant for Europe late XIX and the beginning of the 20th century. Freud's theory 3 was based on observations. Psychoanalysis is a therapeutic process that allows the patient to understand and resolve conflicts whose roots go back to childhood. At the center of the psychoanalytic teaching about man is the understanding that man is an energy system.

O. Weininger, B. Pascal, E. Fromm rightly consider the feeling of love for oneself and other people to be the basis of human dignity and a factor in its development, since the attitude of love for oneself is found in those who are able to love others. Love is impossible without care and respect for dignity, responsibility and knowledge.

The humanistic theory of personality (G. Allport, A. Maslow, K. Rogers) analyzes the development of behavior from the angle of a person’s moral self-improvement, its expansion inner freedom and increasing creativity.

A. Adler believes that a true personality is always involved in public interests. A person focused on the interests of society in inevitable concessions to the interests of other people elevates his dignity, since he highest goal human - service to other people and society as a whole.

The first understanding of dignity as virtue simply inseparably merges the concepts of “dignity” and “worthiness”. Worthy man always behaves with dignity: does not humiliate himself or others, respects the human dignity of everyone, and sees exactly the Human in any other individual. A worthy person acts humanely and fairly, even if no one sees it. He does not want to do evil and betray the “human” in himself. He experiences deep responsibility for his own personality (N.I. Arzamastseva).

The history of the formation of the category of human dignity is determined primarily by the history of bourgeois individualism. Bourgeois individualism as a value system has precisely human dignity as its highest value. For the sake of self-esteem and even for the sake of self-esteem, a person can sacrifice, as they say, “anything.” This is justified by the fact that everything that is valued belongs to virtues. This is the ability to love and the ability to be free, the ability to create benefits, wealth and the ability to be generous. In their high samples individualism demonstrates the possibilities of absolute responsibility, there is also life position, which can be called “super” responsibility.

The technocracy of the 20th century laid its special emphasis on the cultivation of high moral qualities in society. A high moral culture in a cruel society was tolerated only where it was simply impossible to do without it - within the framework of narrow professionalism. The achievements of genetics in the 20th century turned out to be a condition for a realistic approach to the study of the formation of higher moral qualities. They have dramatically complicated the range of problems. Thus, we were able to pose questions realistically. Human dignity is completely historical concept. There is a description in the history of morality huge amount human virtues and characteristics of a person in general. Suffice it to say that in the Russian language there are about 4,000 words to describe a person’s character traits. Each of these words characterizes a person from a positive or negative side.

1.2 What is human dignity?

Etymologically, “dignity” and its generic words in the Russian language are derived from the particle “dignity-,” which is used to enhance meaning or value. The etymological and semantic analysis carried out allows us to consider “dignity” as a moral and ethical category, which is based on a value-based attitude towards oneself and another person as a value and regulation of behavior in accordance with this attitude.

The concept of “Dignity” is universal. This is a supra-ideological, supra-state, supra-national concept. This is the very essence, the core of human values. And, at least for this reason, he must respect human dignity - his own and other people.

All people are born free and equal in dignity and rights. The inalienable, innate dignity of a person, regardless of its religious and philosophical justification, is the foundation on which the same sets of rights and freedoms rest.

Dignity is something internal, not material in a person, rushing towards another person, for example, in love, towards peace, in good deeds, and is taken away or violated in cases of aggression.

Dignity, as a manifestation of all rights and freedoms, is not always understood and perceived. This is due to the fact that there are two types of dignity: Personal and Human. Personal dignity is achieved by noble behavior and good deeds and is lost when we commit meanness.

Dignity is the value attitude of an individual towards himself and the attitude of other people towards him. Dignity is a form of manifestation of self-awareness and self-control, on which a person’s demands on himself are based. Dignity is closely related to such personality traits as conscience, honor, and responsibility. The development of dignity involves mastering the knowledge of ethics, individual and social psychology. Possessing dignity, a person, in the name of self-respect, does not allow deviations from his promises, and maintains courage in difficult life conditions.

The concept of human dignity is associated with the very essence of humanity. It is not true that the dignity of a criminal cannot be equated with the dignity of a real person, because everything that is included in the set of basic civil rights and freedoms arises from the fundamental one - Dignity. Only thanks to the Dignity that is inherent in every person, the “Declaration of Human Rights” was created in 1948, in the Preamble of which it is written: - “All people are equal in their dignity, Dignity is inherent in all members of the human family.” As for the name or position in the Society, everyone earns it himself.

People are different from each other, but the concept of human Dignity is related to the fact that each of us is unique. There has not been and will not be exactly the same person, with the same thoughts, with the same experience.

A person who cannot make his claim is, in a sense, devoid of dignity.

All political systems, which guarantee rights in the Constitution, but do not guarantee mechanisms and opportunities for making claims, demands and presenting our rights, deprive us of the opportunity to show human dignity, pushing us into unworthy behavior, infringing on both our dignity and the dignity of other people.

Human dignity is, apparently, the very absolute value of a person as such, first of all, as a simply biological individual with all its needs, common to the entire human race. Physical violence, oppression, outrages human dignity (just as it outrages, that is, angers and inclines the beast to fight back). But, in addition to this common sphere with all, in which a biological individual is not free, there is in each human individual a more or less pronounced sphere of that in which it must remain free, free, that is, always separate and “other” - this is its internal world. Man is also a spiritual individual - a personality; as a person, he does not tolerate moral violence, violence against his inner world, in which, realizing his freedom - the freedom to be what he is - a person protects, at a minimum, his own uniqueness. From a certain point in a person’s spiritual development, the categories of intimate, personal affairs, personal taste, and private life appear; everything inside the personality and relating only to it, everything that is different, not entirely clear, unpredictable, and even at an outside glance in no way justified or worthless becomes sacred and inviolable, uncontrollable, unaccountable. Thus, human dignity, perhaps not immediately, not from the Neanderthal, but naturally becomes synonymous with the personal. Personal dignity - human dignity at its core in every sense these words.

Chapter 2.Areas of distribution of the concept of “human dignity”

2.1 Psychological asect

The modern space of psychological understanding of the phenomenon of “dignity” includes numerous concepts that reflect its various value-semantic aspects: personal, human dignity, self-esteem, self-respect, respect, self-esteem, self-awareness, self-concept, personal and social identity, freedom, responsibility, etc. However, the problem of dignity in psychology has become the subject of social analysis relatively recently. In particular, these are the works of A.G. Asmolov, in which the problem of the relationship between the culture of dignity and the culture of usefulness is considered, dissertation research self-esteem as psychological phenomenon(Yu.E. Zaitseva) and the formation of the foundations of self-esteem in older schoolchildren (T.V. Korotovskikh).

A great contribution to the consideration of the concept of “human dignity” was made by domestic psychologist A.I. Zakharov, in his work “The Origin of Childhood Neuroses and Psychotherapy,” where he considers this concept as one of the main ones in the formation and development of a full-fledged personality. Zakharov A.I. says that the expression of the sense of “I” lies, first of all, in the early awareness of the differences between oneself and others, an emphasized sense of self-esteem, and a pronounced need for self-affirmation. These children always have their own point of view, strive for independence, are active in achieving their goals, and prefer to play leading roles, which is rarely possible in reality.

In the formation of personality, he draws attention to childhood anxiety and fear of “being the wrong one,” which are directly related to the development of self-esteem. In this regard, anxiety acts as a feeling of responsibility for life, and the well-being of oneself and loved ones, imbued with anxiety, and the fear of “being the wrong one” to the anxious expectations and demands of parents, putting excessive pressure on their emerging sense of responsibility, obligation, duty without taking into account the requirements of the moment, developing flexibility in adopting alternative solutions and role situationality in communication. As a result, neuropsychic tension arises and intensifies in children.

Parents' mistrust extends to relationships with children, conflicting with their emerging sense of self-esteem and self-esteem, which contributes to the emergence of reciprocal tense relationships. So, the conflict between parents and children is primarily due to unfavorable changes in the personality of the parents themselves and their neurotic state, hidden or obvious disagreements between them.

In labor psychology, the concept of “human dignity” is considered in the context professional activity(N.S. Pryazhnikov and E.Yu. Pryazhnikova), but the construct “professional dignity” is not used.

The concept of “self-respect” is used most actively to understand the psychology of dignity (I.S. Kon, A. Maslow, T. Shibutani, etc.). You can select different approaches to the problem of the relationship between these concepts:

Self-respect in the context of the problem of dignity is interpreted as a kind of global self-esteem, a generalized acceptance or non-acceptance by a person of himself as self-worth. It should be noted that self-worth and self-esteem are not identical concepts. Self-esteem is more conscious and specific than self-worth, which reflects a wider range of feelings and attitudes towards oneself as a value;

Self-respect and dignity are considered as personal formations that have their own meaning: self-respect involves assessing the degree of a person’s value in comparison with a certain standard (why do I respect myself, what am I?), and dignity reflects the level of attitude towards oneself as a value (who am I?);

Studies document the relationship between attitude towards other people and self-esteem: a respectful attitude towards another person is considered as a consequence of positive self-esteem, self-esteem and self-acceptance (I.B. Dermanova, Yu.E. Zaitseva, N.V. Lebedeva, V.V. Stolin , E. Fromm, T. Shibutani);

IN social psychology a relationship has been established between low levels of self-esteem and deviant forms of behavior (G. Kaplan).

Every person constantly needs recognition, stable and, as a rule, high appreciation own merits, each of us needs both the respect of the people around us and the opportunity to respect ourselves. The needs at this level are divided into two classes. The first includes desires and aspirations associated with the concept of “achievement”. A person needs a feeling of his own power, adequacy, competence; he needs a feeling of confidence, independence and freedom. In the second class of needs we include the need for reputation or prestige, the need to gain status, attention, recognition, fame.

In our opinion, the idea of ​​oneself as worthy of respect is important factor formation of self-image and human behavior. The fulfillment of the need for self-esteem contributes to the development of personal dignity.

In domestic and foreign psychology The value attitude towards another person is considered as the leading criterion for humane development, morality and dignity (A.A. Bodalev, B.S. Bratus, L.S. Vygotsky, S.L. Rubinstein, V.D. Shadrikov, L. Kolberg, K. Rogers and others). We must not forget that the category of relationship to another person is the center of intersection of the research interests of psychology and ethics.

It is worth highlighting the range of studies of the “Power of Self”, which are important for understanding dignity as an object of psychological knowledge (V.F. Bassin, I.S. Kon, Yu.E. Zaitseva). Important components of understanding the “Power of Self” include: tolerance to external threats, physical discomfort; freedom from panic; struggle with guilt (ability to compromise); the ability to effectively suppress unacceptable impulses; balance of rigidity and compliance; control and planning; adequate self-esteem. The concept of “Self-Power” is, in some way, an integral parameter that reflects the volitional sphere of the individual and the regulatory component of human dignity (Yu.E. Zaitseva). This point of view allows us to consider dignity as a form of personal self-control. In situations moral choice Dignity is a psychological support that helps a person not to betray himself and maintain the level of self-esteem.

The categories “freedom” and “responsibility” are important for understanding the phenomenology of dignity (W. Frankl, E. Fromm). Dignity is one of the ways a person realizes his responsibility towards himself as an individual. A person who takes responsibility and becomes a full-fledged author of his life, without allowing circumstances and motives to break him or encroach on his values, is the owner of a sense of dignity. As E. Fromm said, a person cannot change his opinions ( we're talking about about faith in another person, confidence in the reliability and immutability of his basic attitudes and the essence of his personality), but at the same time he does not change his motivations, for example, his respect for human dignity is part of his Self, and cannot change under any circumstances. If a person does not have faith in the permanence of his self, his sense of identity is threatened and he becomes dependent on other people, whose approval then becomes the basis of his sense of identity with himself. Only a person who believes in himself is able to be faithful to other people, because only he can be sure that he will be in the future as he is now, and, therefore, will feel and act as he does now.

In psychological and pedagogical research, childhood (T. Shibutani) and younger children are considered as a sensitive period for the formation of personal dignity school age(E.V. Shishmakova). Nurturing personal dignity presupposes the development of internal ethical authorities, which are the basis of moral motives of behavior.

So, dignity can be considered as “ internal position”, which determines the value-semantic orientation of behavior and activity, the system of relationships of the individual to reality, to himself and to the people around him.

2.2 Religious ascetic

The basic concept on which the theory of human rights is based is the concept of human dignity. It is in this connection that the need arises to present the Church’s view of human dignity.

According to biblical revelation, human nature was not only created by God, but also endowed by Him with properties in His image and likeness. Only on this basis can it be argued that human nature has an inherent dignity.

The incarnation of God the Word testified that even after the Fall, dignity was not lost by human nature, since in it the “image of God” remained “indestructible,” and therefore the possibility of restoration human life in the fullness of its original perfection. The Lord Jesus Christ's perception of the fullness of human nature “except for sin” shows that dignity does not extend to the distortions that arose in this nature as a result of the Fall.

So, in the Eastern Christian tradition, the concept of “dignity” has, first of all, a moral meaning, and ideas about what is worthy and what is unworthy are strongly connected with the moral or immoral actions of a person and with internal state his soul. Given the sin-darkened state of human nature, it is important to clearly distinguish between what is worthy and what is unworthy in human life.

Worthy is living according to the original calling inherent in the nature of man, created to participate in the good life of God. God-given dignity is confirmed by the presence of a moral principle in every person, which is recognized in the voice of conscience. It is in this regard that the inherent human nature moral standards contained in Divine revelation reveal God's plan for man and his purpose. They are guides for a good life worthy of the God-created nature of man. The greatest example of such a life was presented to the world by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Life in sin is unworthy for a person, since it destroys the person himself, and also harms other people and the world around him. Sin reverses the hierarchy of relationships in human nature. Instead of the spirit having dominion over the body, in sin it is subject to the flesh. Such a life is dangerous for the individual, society and the surrounding nature, as it violates the harmony of existence, results in mental and physical suffering, illness, and vulnerability due to the consequences of habitat destruction. A morally unworthy life does not ontologically destroy God-given dignity, but darkens it so much that it becomes indistinguishable. It is in this regard that a great effort of will is required to see, much less recognize, the natural dignity of a serious criminal or tyrant.

To restore a person to his dignity special meaning has repentance, which is based on awareness of sin and the desire to change one’s life. By repenting, a person recognizes the inconsistency of his thoughts, words or actions with God-given dignity and testifies to God and the Church about his unworthiness. Repentance does not humiliate a person, but gives him a powerful incentive for spiritual work on himself, for the creative development of his life, for preserving the purity of God-given dignity and growing in it.

It is in this regard that patristic and ascetic thought, the liturgical tradition of the Church speak more about the unworthiness of man, caused by sin, than about his dignity.

According to the Orthodox tradition, a person’s preservation of God-given dignity and growth in it is conditioned by life in accordance with moral norms, for these norms express the divine, and therefore the true nature of man, not darkened by sin. In this regard, there is a direct connection between human dignity and morality. Moreover, recognizing the dignity of the individual means affirming his moral responsibility.

2.3 Legal aspect

Protecting the dignity of a citizen’s personality is one of the manifestations of state provision of personal integrity. Personal dignity is understood as the awareness by the person himself and those around him of the fact that he possesses certain moral and intellectual qualities. Personal dignity is determined not only by the subject’s self-esteem, but also by the totality of a person’s objective qualities that characterize his reputation in society (prudence, moral data, level of knowledge, possession of socially useful skills, a decent lifestyle, etc.).

The dignity of any person must be protected regardless of his social value. Every person has the right to respect from others. No circumstances can serve as a basis for diminishing the dignity of an individual.

According to Article 150 of the Civil Code, personal dignity, honor and good name, inviolability of private life, personal and family secret, like other personal non-property rights that belong to citizens by birth or by force of law, are inalienable.

The state's protection of personal dignity is expressed in the fact that it clearly defines the grounds and forms of restricting the inviolability of the personal life of citizens. Thus, a fair and legal demand of the investigator for the presentation of evidence, carried out in cases and procedures established by the criminal procedural law, cannot be considered as an infringement of personal dignity, as an insult.

To ensure respect for the dignity of the individual, arbitrary, without legal grounds, interference by state bodies and officials in privacy citizens and violation of the procedure for conducting procedural actions. Humiliation of human dignity may result from rudeness and deception during interrogations and confrontations, publicity during unreasonable searches and the study of diaries and personal papers.

The dignity of a citizen may suffer during examinations, examinations, personal searches, obtaining samples for comparative research. Damage to a citizen’s dignity can be caused by illegal and unethical methods of examining and examining a naked body or obtaining biological objects, which is sometimes accompanied by pain and creates a danger to the citizen’s health. Detention and arrest, inspection and seizure of correspondence carried out without sufficient grounds also humiliate human dignity.

In a number of norms, the legislator prohibits the investigator and judge from carrying out any kind of procedural actions that could cause damage to the dignity of the human person. Thus, when conducting a seizure and search, the investigator is obliged to take measures to ensure that the circumstances identified are not disclosed. intimate life the person occupying the premises, or other persons (Article 170 of the Code of Criminal Procedure). A personal search can only be carried out by a person of the same sex as the person being searched and in the presence of witnesses of the same sex (Article 172 of the Code of Criminal Procedure).

During the examination, actions that are degrading or dangerous to the health of the person being examined are not allowed (Article 181 of the Code of Criminal Procedure). Conducting an investigative experiment is permitted provided that the dignity and honor of the persons participating in it and those around them are not humiliated and that there is no danger to their health (Article 183 of the Code of Criminal Procedure).

So, Article 21 of the Constitution is a norm general, which applies to all procedural actions and prohibits the investigator, interrogating officer and judge from any kind of actions that can cause damage to the dignity and honor of the human person.

The concepts of “human dignity”, “honor”, ​​“good name” are formed on the basis of ethical standards, are associated with the commission of socially significant actions and how social good inseparable from personality. In this regard, they are protected by law. It is possible to use coercion against persons who have violated the dignity and honor of a citizen. Real legal protection of the dignity of citizens is carried out, first of all, by the norms of criminal and civil law.

Providing in criminal legislation elements of crimes against the honor and dignity of citizens (Articles 129 and 130 of the Criminal Code), and in civil legislation - civil offenses (Articles 150-151 of the Civil Code), the legislator seeks to protect the non-property interests of the individual, because protection good name of a person is, first of all, the restoration of his correct social assessment.

Slander and insult, although they have a common focus, i.e. humiliation of the honor and dignity of an individual, however, differs: the insult is directly aimed at humiliating the personal dignity of a person; slander undermines public assessment personality, affects a person’s reputation in society. It is a criminal offense to insult a citizen by humiliating the honor and dignity of a citizen in a disgraceful, indecent form; slander distorts the essence of the facts that took place or creates an idea that did not take place in reality. Insult affects the form of evaluation of dignity, slander affects its essence. Criminal punishment does not aim to humiliate human dignity when assigning punishments. .

According to Article 152 of the Civil Code, a citizen has the right to demand in court a refutation of those that have become widespread and discredit his honor and dignity and business reputation information, unless the person disseminating such information proves that it is true.

The Constitution prohibits the use of torture, violence or other cruel or degrading treatment or punishment, which is considered an affront to human dignity and is condemned as a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The inclusion in the Constitution of the prohibition of torture and other degrading treatment or punishment is a new establishment of Russian constitutional law. It also complies with Article 3 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Torture is any act by which severe pain or suffering, physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person, by or at the instigation of an official, for the purpose of extracting information or confessions from that person or a third party, or punishing him for acts he has committed or committed. the commission of which is suspected. This concept does not include pain and suffering arising solely from a lawful deprivation of liberty, due to the condition inherent in this limitation of rights (Article 1 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment).

Torture is an aggravated and deliberate form of cruel and degrading treatment and must be completely excluded from the actions and decisions of officials conducting criminal proceedings. All actions related to torture are considered crimes by criminal law.

The Constitution considers medical, scientific or other experiments carried out without the voluntary consent of the person as an attack on personal dignity.

- Conclusion -

IN course work We tried to analyze the main theoretical provisions on this issue, define the concept of “human dignity” as accurately as possible and consider it in various fields of knowledge.

As noted earlier, the complexity of this topic lies in its lack of study, but its relevance is growing every year, the reason for which is the democratic orientation of our country.

A person constantly demands from others recognition of his worth, either as an individual or as a member of a religious, ethnic, racial or other group. In earlier times, rulers desired recognition from others of their highest value as king, emperor, or lord. Today, a person, who is also a full member of society, strives to establish his equal status as one of the representatives of previously insufficiently respected or humiliated groups - women, gays, people with disabilities, American Indians, etc.

We accept the fact that we look different, come from different races and peoples, we belong to different genders and different cultures. A person has dignity by his very nature, and not due to belonging to a certain social group, class or stratum. And the Christian faith and legal documents oblige us to take into account the individual characteristics of each person.

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