Refleksja filozoficzna jako źródło współczesnego rozumienia godności człowieka i dyrektyw interpretacyjnych art. 30 Konstytucji RP

Abstract

Human dignity, before it became a legal notion, had been a subject of philosophical reflection since ancient times. Beginning from the classical notion of dignity in letters of ancient philosophers, through stoical thought, biblical tradition and modern philosophy (Thomas Hobbes, Blaise Pascal, Immanuel Kant) we track the history of the construction of dignity as an inherent property of the human being, determining her special, distinguished position in the structure of earthly objects. It seems that an effective interpretation of art. 30 of the Polish Constitution, which constitutes the central provision of the legal system built around the notion of dignity, is not possible without the acquaintance with theoretical bases of reconstruction of the notion. Analysing lawyer’s commentaries on the art. 30, which concentrate on elucidating the appropriate meaning of such attributes of human dignity as its inherentness, inalienability, inviolability, it is impossible to resist the impression that each of the voiced views has its roots in the theoretical structure of dignity, as it can be found in philosophical legacy as well as in theological reflection.