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Philosophy

In reply to the discussion: Do rights exist? [View all]

rrneck

(17,671 posts)
7. I would rephrase if I could think of a better way to say it.
Thu Aug 22, 2013, 06:31 PM
Aug 2013

I think I would have to assume a right, since I cannot confer it nor prove it exists beyond the evidence given when someone exercises it. For me, and not having given the matter much thought before now, a right is not a social convention or law, but the expression of one's own being. Birds fly, fish swim, and people do whatever it is that people do. Rights do not exist unless they are exercised, and the social conventions that surround them are the result of that exercise.

Rights are attached to actions, and the expectation of action exists in the future.

I don't know if that makes any sense, since I just made it up. The implications lead us to all sorts and kinds of notions regarding a priori goodness and what it means to have certain rights to be one sort of person and not another. But maybe, as we do whatever it is that we do and build social conventions around those actions, the relationship between what we want, what we do, and what we discover doesn't work and declare the wrong thing to do revolve around our relationship between our inner and outer lives. That kind of thinking sorts well with my concepts of form and content in the human experience.

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Do rights exist? [View all] discntnt_irny_srcsm Aug 2013 OP
Rights, organizations (including governments), human laws, ZombieHorde Aug 2013 #1
Can I infer... discntnt_irny_srcsm Aug 2013 #3
Yes for laws and fairness, but no for love and anger. nt ZombieHorde Aug 2013 #5
I'm unable to understand what system you have... discntnt_irny_srcsm Aug 2013 #6
Ha! ZombieHorde Aug 2013 #13
So then... discntnt_irny_srcsm Aug 2013 #14
I don't think so. nt ZombieHorde Aug 2013 #15
I don't think so. delrem Nov 2013 #22
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Nov 2014 #29
Your subject line isn't true. bye. delrem Nov 2014 #31
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Nov 2014 #32
Rights are attributes of people. rrneck Aug 2013 #2
I'm having a bit of confusion... discntnt_irny_srcsm Aug 2013 #4
I would rephrase if I could think of a better way to say it. rrneck Aug 2013 #7
I guess I'm having some trouble with this: discntnt_irny_srcsm Aug 2013 #10
Natural and legal rights rrneck Aug 2013 #11
I'm good with that. discntnt_irny_srcsm Aug 2013 #12
I'd say it depends very much on which school of ethics you subscribe to. Fortinbras Armstrong Aug 2013 #8
I'd suggest that... discntnt_irny_srcsm Aug 2013 #9
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Nov 2014 #30
"Whether you know it or not, among the French and Germans, right means law." Fortinbras Armstrong Nov 2014 #33
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Nov 2014 #35
For at least the second time, THE PARAGRAPH IS YOUR FRIEND. Fortinbras Armstrong Nov 2014 #36
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Dec 2014 #37
OK, I shall introduce myself to you. Fortinbras Armstrong Dec 2014 #38
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Dec 2014 #39
I'm afraid I have some major disagreements with you. Fortinbras Armstrong Dec 2014 #40
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Dec 2014 #41
"I'm afraid that I ..." Fortinbras Armstrong Dec 2014 #42
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Dec 2014 #43
I used an idiom that I'm sure you've heard at least a thousand times Fortinbras Armstrong Dec 2014 #44
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Dec 2014 #45
Being polite is not cant, nor is it being dishonest. Fortinbras Armstrong Dec 2014 #46
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Dec 2014 #47
I think I see our basic problem Fortinbras Armstrong Dec 2014 #48
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Dec 2014 #49
This message was self-deleted by its author Tuesday Afternoon Aug 2013 #16
I believe that the obligation... discntnt_irny_srcsm Aug 2013 #17
Don't human rights have to be recognized and asserted to exist? delrem Sep 2013 #18
re: "...the right for an individual to be treated equally under the rule of law." discntnt_irny_srcsm Sep 2013 #19
Correct. It's an *obligation* of gov't. delrem Nov 2013 #20
War is uncivilized discntnt_irny_srcsm Nov 2013 #21
I really appreciate DU. n/t delrem Nov 2013 #23
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Nov 2014 #27
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Nov 2014 #34
Do rights exist? CloptonHavers Feb 2014 #24
After some reading... discntnt_irny_srcsm Feb 2014 #25
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Nov 2014 #28
This message was self-deleted by its author Sweeney Nov 2014 #26
Rights are Subordinated to... PavelKO Oct 2016 #50
As is generally said, 'The winners get to write history.' discntnt_irny_srcsm Oct 2016 #51
Message auto-removed Name removed May 2017 #52
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