"Confucian Human Dignity" at NECCT 2025

Northeast Conference on Chinese Thought, 2025 Duke University #conference

Abstract: Human dignity is a central concept in contemporary moral and political life, yet its philosophical grounding remains unsettled. Attempts to base dignity on an inherent human trait face the well known “exclusion problem,” and recent Confucian moral-achievement accounts have claimed to overcome this difficulty. I critically evaluate these proposals and examine other Confucian resources—such as comportment dignity and rank—to assess their potential as grounding concepts. I argue that neither inherent traits, nor moral cultivation, nor Confucian notions of comportment or rank can secure a universal and equal conception of human dignity. The analysis thus exposes a significant gap in current Confucian approaches. In response, I propose shifting toward a relational model of dignity, one rooted not in traits or achievement but in the rituals and relationships of recognition that render human life possible and meaningful.