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Ethics of dignity

Dignity - few concepts are as important and as controversial in contemporary ethics. It is seen both as absolutely fundamental to moral life and as a vague, redundant concept. In this course, we will examine the idea of dignity and explore its significance in ethics.

  • Course content

    In the first part of the course, we will focus on the concept of dignity and try to define it as precisely as possible.

    Is dignity a matter of rank, of a flourishing life, of being made in the image of God, of the capacity for autonomy - or is it something quite different? Is dignity universal or does it apply to some and not to others? Is it inalienable? Can it be damaged and lost? Is dignity actually a useful concept?

    In the second part, we turn our attention to practical ethical contexts in which the concept of dignity is considered important. How does dignity function in debates about disability? How does the debate on ‘human enhancement’ influence our ideas about dignity? And what role does dignity play in (the debates on) end-of-life decision-making?

  • Size

    The seminar is 7.5 ECTS:

    • 48 hours preparation
    • 30 hours paper
    • 3 hours written exam
    • 105 hours self-study

  • Period

    November 2025 to January 2026

  • For who?

    For anyone interested in theological-ethical theories of human dignity, end-of-life discussions, human rights, and wanting to be able to interpret them within their own socio-political context.

  • Literature

    • Suzie Killmister, Contours of Dignity. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2020. 
    • R. Kendall Soulen en Linda Woodhead (red.), God and Human Dignity. Grand Rapids, MI. Eerdmans, 2006 (a selection of chapters).
    • Several other papers will be made available through Blackboard

  • Lecturers

  • Assessment

    Exam and paper.

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