Notion of Human Rights

Human rights are a product of a philosophical debate that has been argued since the beginning of mankind. Fueling this debate is the fact that many people have been unsatisfied with the notion that what is right or good is simply what a particular society or ruling elite feels is right or good at any given time. Great philosophers from the past such as Aristotle, Socrates and Thomas Aquinas focused extensively on their definition of human rights, among other ideas, and lead the way for more contemporary thinkers such as John Locke and Martin Luther King Jr. Notions of natural right were introduced by European philosophers such as Aristotle, but is was Aquinas who developed the idea more in-depth. In his Summa Theologica, he stated his belief that there were behaviors that were naturally right or wrong because God ordained it so. Aquinas’s theory was that God decided what limits should be placed on the human political activity. Centuries later, Thomas Hobbes offered a different view on the divi

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Hobbes also referred to a natural right, rather than simply natural right.

The English Bill of Rights was notable in that it made the King subject to the rule of law, like any citizen, instead of claiming to be the law’s divine source. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. The seed for universal human rights was planted in Europe by ancient philosophers, and has grown into a plant whose vines now span the globe. There was no longer just a list of behavior that was naturally right or wrong; Hobbes added that there could be some claim which was derived from nature. Further reinforcement of natural rights came with Immanuel Kant's writings that reacted to Hobbes' work. If they choose to be ruled, the surrender either all or at least some of this natural right to their king or government in exchange for civil society and peace. No one could be subjected to another’s rule unless they consented. In Hobbes' view, this natural right was one of self-preservation. It even repeated some of the promises made by King John in the Magna Carta. The existence of this natural law also established the right to do whatever was necessary to protect such rights.

This thinking provides the basis of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It required the King to respect the power of Parliament, which was elected by the people. People in their natural condition have unlimited freedom. Juries, impartial courts and independent judges were guaranteed to ensure fair trials.

Approximate Word count = 1672
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