On the Limits of Human Dignity and Human Rights in the Juridical Discourse

Abstract

This article examines the conceptual and juridical limits of “human dignity” and “human rights” within contemporary legal discourse. It argues that the plurality of interpretations of dignity does not render the concept empty, yet warns against attributing excessive legal expectations to it. Dignity properly grounds juridical capacity but, as soon as we attempt to derive specific rights from it, we easily fall into mistaken absolutizations or vagueness. The paper further contends that modern human-rights language is semantically ambiguous, often conflating basic human goods with genuine rights whose scope requires prudent specification within concrete social orders. Ultimately, it highlights the indispensable role of the common good and civic virtue in shaping coherent and just rights frameworks.