Reason, Conscience & Development of the Human Personality




Ethics Talk: Philosophy, Flourishing and The Good Life show

Summary: We continue to discuss the “development clause” of Article 26(2) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which states that  "Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms".  As we will discuss, the development clause should be read in conjunction with Article 1 of the UDHR which states that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” How is "full development of the human personality" connected with “reason,” “conscience” and “the spirit of brotherhood”? Why is education aimed at "full development" so important as to be classified as a human right?  In order to shed light on some possible answers to these questions, we will turn to Elizabeth Cady Stanton's 1892 address to the U.S. Judiciary, The Solitude of Self.