Naturrecht und menschliche Würde. ( Werkausgabe, 6).

by Ernst Bloch

Ernst Bloch (1885-1977) was one of the most original and influential of contemporary European thinkers, leaving his mark in fields ranging from philosophy and social theory to aesthetics and theology. Natural Law and Human Dignity represents a unique attempt to reconcile the traditional oppositions of the natural law and social utopian traditions, providing basic insights into the meaning of human rights in a socialist society.

Natural Law and Human Dignity is included in the series Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought, edited by Thomas McCarthy.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Ernst Bloch was one of the great philosophers and political intellectuals of twentieth-century Germany. Among his works to have appeared in English are The Spirit of Utopia (Stanford University Press, 2000), Literary Essays (Stanford University Press, 1998), The Utopian Function of Art and Literature: Selected Essays (1987), and The Principle of Hope (1986).

Reviews

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this text for a Sociology course taught by Anibal Quijano called "Coloniality of Power". Yet, what surprised me was that it consisted entirely of philosophy and political theory. Caught me off guard a bit, but its a totally fascinating text.

Grand-scale analysis tracing the origins of Natural Law to the Ancient Greeks - Epicurus and the Stoics to be precise. Makes me want to read more by Bloch, specifically his book on Utopia.

Bloch's style seems a bit dated though. In this age of deconstruction and p.c. multi-culturalism, he wrote this text before all those fads set in, and I really appreciate how he makes definitive statements on every page. It seems like making definitive statements like, "It is not surprising that those who are isolated are the first to revolt." - writing in simple declarative aphorisms, in ten-cent syntheses, has become a lost art. For that simple reason alone, Bloch's writing came across as poigniant and a little cock-sure, but I like that about him. He seems like a real man's man who could outsmart anyone at the local pub, and still teach a genteel graduate course. Very old-school. Not this wishy-washy Leftist stuff. He pulls no punches, and this book is a definitive primer in the school of hard knocks that is Natural Law Theory.