
Because I am who I am – or: Why it is good to respect oneself
Self-respect is possessed by those who are able to stand up for themselves. Standing up for oneself means taking responsibility—for who one is and who one wants to be. However, taking on this responsibility becomes more difficult when one experiences violations of one’s dignity, since such violations threaten social participation and undermine the foundations of a respectful relationship to oneself. This often happens not only through actions, but also through (unnoticed) attitudes that are socially and structurally entrenched. Ethical action-guiding rules therefore offer only limited help in protecting others and oneself from discriminatory, stigmatizing, or similar attitudes. What is crucial instead is that we reflect on our attitudes, take responsibility for who we are, and develop an ethically grounded conception of who we want to be. In this sense, self-respect is not only a prerequisite for a flourishing life, but also an essential component of our moral coexistence.
Accordingly, in my dissertation I show, first, that morality originates in the immediate social sphere. Second, I justify self-respect as a moral concept. Third, I argue that self-responsibility is an existential condition for a good life.
20.02.2020: Philosophisches Coaching mit dem Klinischen Ethikkomitee der Universitätsmedizin Göttingen: Indikation (gemeinsam mit Johanna Wagner)
14.11.2019: Philosophisches Coaching mit dem Klinischen Ethikkomitee der Universitätsmedizin Göttingen: Autonomie (gemeinsam mit Johanna Wagner)
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Philosophical Salon at Café Paradies (Soest): Human Beings and Paradise – Do They Really Go Together? (co-organized with Johanna Wagner)