Dignity, Respect, and Self-respect

The ideas of respect (understood in terms of respect for persons as well as
in terms of self-respect) and dignity have attracted an enormous amount of
philosophical attention in recent years, especially within the fields of
ethics, sociology, political theory, and legal philosophy. Notably, as many
political philosophers have contended (see for instance Rawls, Raz,
Nussbaum, Hill, Feinberg), the concepts at issue - either separately
examined or addressed in their mutual relations - have the power to promote
a political praxis based on the recognition of the collective identities of
oppressed, subordinated or marginal groups. So understood, respect and
defense of human dignity can be envisaged not only as general guides to
ethical practice, but also as two of the most forceful normative political
principles to which liberal democratic institutions are committed in their
attempt to negotiate different types of tensions inherent in political life.

Such a vivid upsurge of interest in the ideals of respect and dignity
has not been matched by a similar degree of conceptual clarity relative to
their meaning, reciprocal relations and role in the implementation of
policies. Even more remarkably, rare are the attempts to address the
concepts at issue from the perspective of history of philosophy and history
of ideas. The aim of this conference is to foster discussion and contribute
to a comprehensive understanding of the functions and semantic nuances of
respect and dignity from both a theoretical and a properly historic-
philosophical standpoint.

The conference will address the following questions:
•       What are the relationships between respect for persons and self-
respect?
•       What kind/s of respect is/are involved in the recognition of the
moral authority supposedly possessed by human beings? How does such an
authority shape the nature of individual dignity?
•        What are the main underpinnings of the idea of “equal respect”? How
does the idea of respect connect with that of equality of status?
•       What do we mean by “inherent dignity” of a human being?
•       What are the social bases self-respect? How do these contribute to
the promotion of fair policies?
•       Is there any attempt to conceptualize different types of respect
and/or dignity in the history of philosophy? In case there is, did it affect
the contemporary reflection on the problems of respect and justice, and how?
•       What are the main underpinnings of Kant’s view of respect and
dignity? What is the ultimate object of respect in his philosophy? The moral
law? Persons?

Non-presenters can register by sending an email to [email protected] by
May 5th.


Conference Programme

26th May, 2014

9.00-9.30. Registration and Welcome Address

9.30-11.00 Keynote Lecture: Robin Dillon

11.00-11.30: Coffee Break

11.30-13.00: Ancient Views of Respect and Self-Respect

(1)     Chair: Federico Zuolo (Università di Pavia)
-       Giovanni Giorgini (Università di Bologna), Respect and Justice: What
can we learn from Plato and Protagoras?
-       Simon Weber (University of Bonn), Aristotle on “Human Dignity”

(2)     Chair: Elena Irrera (Università di Bologna)
-       Pia Campeggiani (Università di Bologna), The Ancient Greek Roots of
the Idea of Self-Respect: Notes on its Relation with Equality and Justice
-       Arianna Fermani (Università di Macerata), Respect for Oneself and
for Others: Aristotle's Reflection on Suicide

Lunch: 13.00-14.30

14.30-16.00:  Modern Perspectives on Respect and Self-Respect

(3)     Chair: Chiara Testino (Università di Pavia)
-       Elena Irrera (Università di Bologna), From the State of Nature to a
Sovereign Power. Hobbes on Respect for Persons and Self-respect
-       Christine Bratu (Ludwig-Maximilians-

Universität, München), À la
Kant: Dignity, Respect and Self-Respect and our Capacity to Act Reasonably

(4)     Chair: Corrado del Bò (Università di Milano)
-       Michael Lyons (Trinity College Dublin), Carter, Kant, and the Basis
of Equal Respect
-       Maria C. Gobel (Utrecht University), To what Extent is the Concept
of Respect Relevant for Kant's Philosophy of Law?

Coffee Break 16.00-16.30

16.30-18.00:  Contemporary Perspectives on Respect and Self-Respect

(5)     Chair: Emanuela Ceva (Università di Pavia)
-       Carla Bagnoli (Università di Modena), Coercive Respect
-       Andrea Sangiovanni (King’s College London), Moral Equality, Respect,
and Cruelty

(6)     Chair: Francesco Ferraro (Università di Milano)
-       Camillia Kong (University of Oxford), The Space Between Second-
Personal Respect and Rational Care in Theory and Mental Health Law
-       Antonino Falduto (University of Mainz), Respect as Correlate of the
Moral Law: A Phenomenological Account of Kant's Moral Theory


27th May, 2014

9.30-11.00 Keynote Lecture: Colin Bird

11.00-11.30 Coffee Break

11.30 – 13.00: Issues on (Human and Animal) Dignity

(7)     Chair: Ian Carter (Università di Pavia)
-       Jan-Willem van der Rijt (University of Bayreuth), Moral Lawgiving
and Dignity
-       Federico Zuolo (Università di Pavia), Dignity and Animals. Does it
Make Sense to Apply the Concept of Dignity to all Sentient Beings?

(8)     Chair: Chiara Testino (Università di Pavia)
-       Nicholas Vallone (University of Massachusetts, Amherst), Human Worth
vs. Human Status: A Debate about the Meaning of Dignity
-       Francesco Ferraro (Università di Milano), Expanding Dignity: Humans
and Animals as Moral Subjects from a Utilitarian Perspective

13.00-14.00: Lunch

14.00 – 15:30: Self-Respect and Justice

(9)     Chair: Emanuela Ceva (Università di Pavia)
-       Jeff Moriarty (Bentley University, USA), Self-Respect and the
Economic Liberties
-       Daniel Attas (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Self-respect: its
Significance to Well-being and Justice

(10)    Chair: Elena Irrera (Università di Bologna)
-       Jonathan Seglow (Royal Holloway, University of London), Religious
Exemptions and Self-Respect
-       Christian Schemmel (University of Manchester), Self-Respect,
Justice, and Equality

15.30 – 16:00: Coffee Break

16.00 – 17:30: Dignity, Respect, and Self-respect: Culture, Identity, and
Rights

(11)    Chair: Corrado del Bò (Università di Milano)
-       Elvio Baccarini (University of Rijeka), National Identity, Culture,
and Self-respect for Rawlsians
-       Francesco Chiesa (University of South Wales), Standards-Self-Respect
and the Limits of Respect

(12)    Chair: Federico Zuolo (Università di Pavia)
-       Suzy Killmister (University of Connecticut), Dignity, Respect and
Human Rights
-       Thomas Wachtendorf (University of Oldenburg), On Absolute Metaphors:
The Dignity of Man