<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt"><font>Dr Urban Jonsson</font> <span></span><font>commented
on HRR 277:</font></span><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span>The two major schools of
thought in understanding the relative importance of <i>OUTCOME </i>and <i>PROCESS
</i>in <span> </span>HR-based framework to
Development, are 1) the <i>consequentalist school</i>, that only uses
the importance and value of the outcome in judging the ethical value of a
decision, and (2) the <i>deontologic school</i> that emphasizes the
quality of the process. Kant and Amartya Sen are typical 'deontologists".
I am too! Economists are, by training, 'consequentalists'.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt"><font>Furthermore</font>, </span><span>the origin and meaning of human rights (HR) tells
us that </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Human
Rights = <span>Morality<b> </b></span>+ Legality.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">As regards
the moral foundation of HR, m</span>oral codes have existed and do exist in all
societies on what is right and what is wrong, permissible or not permissible,
legitimate or not legitimate, etc.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We can actually define a <span lang="EN-GB">Golden Rule of ethics in the sense
of an Ethics of Reciprocity which has been recognized by religious authorities
since 1933 (“Declaration Toward a Global Ethic” by the Parliament of the
World’s Religions).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">The golden
rule in Buddhism reads: </span>“Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would
find hurtful”.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">The golden
rule in Christianity reads:<span> </span></span>“Do
unto others as you would have them do unto you”.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">The golden
rule in Hunduism reads: </span>“Do naught to others, if done to thee, would
cause thee pain: this is the sum of duty”.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">The golden
rule in Islam<span> </span>reads: </span>“No one of
you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for
himself”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">11Judaism<span> </span></span>“What is hateful to you, do not to
your fellow man. That is the entire law; all the rest is commentary”.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">The question
then is: Are these universal values? It seems so; some even argue that this is
the result of the individual's ‘humanitarian instinct’.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In its philosophical foundation, <span> </span>human rights are based on and reflect values
that are not always specifically European; they are found in many cultures and
religions in the world --including values such as the protection of life, of dignity,
of equality, of property, of security, of happiness, etc.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, as for religion, ethics and HR: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"" lang="EN-GB"><span>•<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>M<span lang="EN-GB">ost religions share basic views of a
common good.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"" lang="EN-GB"><span>•<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span> </span>Most urge protection of people who are poor,
disabled, sick or powerless.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"" lang="EN-GB"><span>•<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span> </span>Most prescribe a good and impartial ruling and
condemn arbitrary killing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span lang="EN-GB"><span>•<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB">Most
encourage some form of social and economic justice.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span lang="EN-GB"><span>•<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span> </span>Most offer moral prescriptions for wartime.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB">BUT</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Most
religions also show a common disdain towards slaves, women, and homosexuals!</span></p>