Natural rights and legal rights
Natural rights and legal rights are two types of rights that are often contrasted by philosophers, legal scholars, and political scientists. Natural rights are those that are not dependent on the laws, customs, or beliefs of any particular culture or government, and are therefore universal and inalienable. Legal rights are those bestowed onto a person by a given legal system.
Natural Rights[edit | edit source]
Natural rights are rights that are derived from nature or God and not contingent upon the laws, customs, or beliefs of any particular culture or government. The concept of natural rights originated from the ancient philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle, and was further developed during the Enlightenment by philosophers such as John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
Natural rights typically include the right to life, liberty, and property. They are considered inalienable and universal, meaning they cannot be repealed by human laws, are the same for all people regardless of nationality, location, or time, and are automatically granted to individuals by virtue of their humanity.
Legal Rights[edit | edit source]
Legal rights are rights conferred upon a person by a particular legal system. They can be modified, repealed, and granted by the government. Legal rights vary from one legal system to another and can be specific to a certain country, state, or jurisdiction.
Legal rights include civil rights, such as the right to privacy, the right to a fair trial, and the right to vote, and economic rights, such as the right to own property, the right to work, and the right to social security. Legal rights are protected and enforced by the legal system of the jurisdiction in which they are granted.
Relationship between Natural Rights and Legal Rights[edit | edit source]
The relationship between natural rights and legal rights is a subject of ongoing philosophical debate. Some philosophers and legal theorists believe that legal rights should be based on, or at least not conflict with, natural rights. Others argue that legal rights should be based on social conventions or agreements, and not necessarily on natural rights.
See Also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
 | This philosophy-related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it. |
 | This law-related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it. |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
