Honor and Dignity - An Essay on Cultural Philosophy

Abstract

While dignity is nowadays widespread and valued, honor tends to be a shadowy affair in society and science. Except in her abused variant of honor killings, she is little known and is often understood as an anachronistic phenomenon. The Social and Cultural Studies also treat the subject only rudimentarily, as the positivistic understanding of science does not allow a profound analysis of the phenomenon of honor. The author criticizes this scientific paradigm and clarifies the importance of honor for society on the basis of the philosophical writings of Aristotle. Honor and dignity are by no means understood as antipodes, but as complementary human principles, which together can bring about an integration of spirit-mind (Geist) and heart intelligence.