Žmogaus teisių samprata krikščionybėje ir utilitaristinėje pasaulėžiūroje ; Human rights concept in christianity and in utilitarian worldview

Abstract

That permits to continue the discourse on the universality of human rights. In Christian ethics and doctrine the essence of human being is fully revealed only in a relation with God and with another human being. Therefore, a Christian concept of human rights is adequately balanced with the concept of public rights and interests. Utilitarianism, as an ethical doctrine, is accepted by the Western legal systems and is rooted in current legal and political discourse. It has linkages with Christian ethics, but can only be considered partially as a criterion for human rights and moral decision-making. Utilitarianism is based on subjective evaluation of the principles of human behavior, which leads to compromise in every situation. Thus it may lead into a situation where new human right breaches already recognized individual or group human rights. In the case of the formation of new human rights we must recognize certain features of the differences arising from the historical era and the prevailing moral and legal consciousness. However, while there are no universally accepted doctrine of objective ethics, the Institute of Human Rights have no solid ground for the discourse on universality of human rights – both basic and new – because the concept of human rights becomes a victim of compromises in unequal struggle against economic and political interests.