Quick Question on Rights

[y_feldblum]

Is the principle of rights an ethical principle or a political principle; ie, which branch of philosophy deals with the concept?

Going deeper, what exactly is the dividing line between the two branches in general?

[Betsy]

Is the principle of rights an ethical principle or a political principle; ie, which branch of philosophy deals with the concept?

It is both, which is why you will find Ayn Rand's essay, "Man's Rights," in both The Virtue of Selfishness (her book on ethics) and Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal (her book on politics).

The concept of "rights" is the bridge between ethics and politics. It is "a moral principle defining and sanctioning a man's freedom of action in a social context." It is a moral principle applied to a social (i.e., a political) context.

Going deeper, what exactly is the dividing line between the two branches in general?

Ethics and politics are not separate domains. Politics is a subset of ethics. It is ethics applied to social interactions.

[y_feldblum]

Ethics and politics are not separate domains. Politics is a subset of ethics.

I knew that. I meant to ask, are rights an ethical principle, or an ethical-political principle?

Is your answer that the concept of rights is the fundamental principle of politics? I get that from your equation of "in a social context" with "political".

[Betsy]

I knew that. I meant to ask, are rights an ethical principle, or an ethical-political principle?

An ethical-political principle.

Is your answer that the concept of rights is the fundamental principle of politics?

Yes.