Viðmerking: Mannarættindi og heimspekiligar avbjóðingar

The idea that human beings have some fundamental rights goes back a long way in the history of philosophy. But the justifications for these rights have been quite different. The question has also been raised whether these rights are inherent or to be regarded as consensus among men. There can be no final agreement on these questions. At the same time, however, it is a proven fact that the concept of human rights plays an important role in both domestic and international legal understanding. The article describes some of these issues. Úrtak Hugsanin um, at menniskjað hevur nøkur grundleggjandi rættini, gongur langt aftur í heimspekisøguna. Men grundgevingarnar fyri hesum rættindum hava verið rættiliga ymiskar. Spurningur hevur eisini verið settur við, um hesi rættindi eru íborin ella at meta sum samtykt manna millum. Ikki kann sigast, at nøkur endalig semja er um hesar spurningar. Men samstundis er tað ein royndur lutur, at mannarættindahugtakið hevur ein týðandi leiklut bæði í heimligari og altjóða rættarfatan. Greinin lýsir nøkur av hesum viðurskiftum.