Category: Rights

What Makes Something A Human Right?

Politicians and philosophers sometimes talk about a human right, a right we humans have merely due to our existence. But what makes that so?

The U.S. Constitution details a few of these rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. At other times, individual rights like housing, health care, fresh air and clean water, and others have been mentioned.

The idea is that these are inalienable rights, that is, rights that confer on us as soon as we are born. They do not have to do with our status, our job, our family, or any other external factor. We have them because all people have them, regardless of race, gender, class, country of origin, or any other factor.

Of course, this is an ideal, or an aspiration. As a society, we believe individuals should have these things. But of course, there have been many times in many places throughout history where human beings have not had these rights.

Including the in the United States. Despite what the U.S. Constitution says, historically rights were not given evenly to people based on race and gender. That has evolved and changed over time. But today there are efforts underway to remove some of these rights for some accused of criminal behavior, or others who have questionable immigration status.

Fundamentally, it begs the question: what makes something a human right? Why did life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness make the cut, and others didn’t? Is health care a human right? How do we decide? And if we can have differing opinions, and if we, as a society can change our mind about it, is it a right that we are born with?

Related questions: Is health care a human right? Does nature have rights? Do animals have rights? Personal rights or public safety?

Best Of Times Or Worst Of Times?

Are we living in the best of times, or the worst of times? It might seem things look dark, but there is no doubt we live in an age of miracles.

Share why if you wish.

Best Of Times Or Worst Of Times?
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Is Health Care A Human Right?

Health care is something that every person has experience with. Is that enough to make it a fundamental human right?

At various times throughout our lives, we need medical attention. That might come from a broken bone, a common illness, or even something more serious. It might mean visiting a doctor, or perhaps even a stay in the hospital.

In fact, this even predates hospitals. Tens of thousands of years ago, most if not all tribes of hunter gatherers, or early agricultural societies, probably had a shaman or medicine man. These people would fix broken legs, suggest herbs to numb pain or promote healing, and the like.

This universality in the need for medical attention might suggest a human right. Everyone will need some form of health care, regularly and throughout their entire lives. What could be more basic? Besides maybe air to breathe and water to drink?

And yet, that health care is provided by other humans. Doctors, nurses, porters, hospital administrators, technicians, and on and on. It requires drugs that are expensive to develop and produce, and ever-advancing equipment that can do remarkable things.

What happens if someone cannot pay for these goods and services? Should they be denied treatment that may extend their life? Or should they be treated, with the (potentially large) costs being passed on to the rest of us? Or perhaps the medical community should be required to provide these services at reduced or no cost?

Is health care a human right? If so, how do we pay for someone who cannot, themselves, provide payment? If not, how can we justify pain, suffering, and early or unnecessary death for the sake of money?

Related questions: What does it mean to be healthy? How do you stay healthy? What is the sickest you have ever been? Do animals have rights?

Do Animals Have Rights?

The concept of inherent rights is well established for humans. Do any of those rights extend to animals?

Humans are born (at least in the United States) with certain “unalienable” rights, which include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Bill of Rights enumerate additional rights. Other countries may differ in exact language, but in most places it is assumed that humans have some rights from birth.

Other animals are not human, however, and human laws and ideas do not automatically extend to them. But what are the differences between humans and other animals, and do those differences really matter?

One difference, of course, is that other animals don’t have laws, or form governments. Why should human laws and rights apply to non-humans?

While it is true that no animal other than humans have written a constitution, it is not clear that a written document is needed. A colony of bees has a well-defined hierarchy, for instance. You could almost consider a hive to be the equivalent of a (human) country.

What about the argument that humans are sentient, and they are the only such animal? That argument relies on the definition of sentience, and there does not seem to be a way to know for certain if other animals are, in fact, sentient.

Human laws are often written for the benefit of those people who do not have any political power. They allow for people with little or no power to avoid being taken advantage of by those who do. That would certainly seem to describe animals, who quite literally have no voice.

And yet, there are some rights which cannot and should not apply to animals. No taxation without representation? That doesn’t make any sense at all — animals don’t pay taxes, and it would seem impossible to give (direct) representation to, say, a bear.

So what rights, if any, should (non-human) animals have?

Related questions: Does nature have rights? How are humans like other animals? How are they different? Personal rights or public safety? What are our responsibilities to others?

How Would You Describe Your Civic Life?

Civic life can vary drastically from person to person, and from town to town. Are you active in your local community?

In our lives, there is some level of civic engagement.Even if you live out in the country, there are some services that are provided by the nearby town that benefit you.

The exact amount varies from person to person. While one person might have children in the public school system, another may check out books from the local library. You might serve on a town committee of some sort, or just organize a block party for your neighbors.

Listen to a podcast where Michael and Lee discuss a related question: ‘What makes a place feel like home?’ We also discuss a bonus question: ‘What beliefs do you have that might be wrong?’

There are some civic services that benefit everyone, like local roads we all drive on, or trash and recycling collection that is done on a weekly basis. What other services do you take advantage of?

Some people are simply good members of the town they inhabit. That might mean shopping a locally-owned stores rather than national chains or online outlets. Or it might mean picking up trash at a local park, or helping out a neighbor in some way.

There is also actual engagement in local politics. This runs the gamut from voting in town elections, to serving on select committees or attending forums to discuss issues that impact your neighborhood or city.

There are many ways of being a member in the town or city where you live. Which ones are meaningful or important to you? How would you describe your civic life?

Related questions: What are our responsibilities to others? What role should the government play in our lives? Why do you live where you live? Urban, suburban, or rural?