Dignity of the Human Species, Human Rights, and Autonomy

Human dignity is a concept with multiple dimensions. Its primary dimension should be the dignity of the human species as a whole. The basis of the dignity of the human species rests on certain essential characteristics of the species, and the moral demand of the dignity of the human species is to maintain and promote these characteristics. In bioethical research, human dignity has often been equated with human rights or autonomy. Some people have even suggested that the concept of human dignity can be replaced with the concept of human rights or autonomy. However, the analysis of the dignity of the human species and its moral demand shows that human dignity cannot be equated to human rights or autonomy. Instead, it is the basis for human rights and requires restrictions on autonomous behaviors in certain situations. In the face of the ethical challenges posed by new technologies, the dignity of the human species will play a more crucial role in bioethical research.