A Response to Ellen Zhang’s “On Human Rights and Freedom in Biomedical Ethics: A Philosophical Inquiry in Light of Buddhism”

Abstract

Applying religious teachings to legal concepts and determinations is always a challenge. Professor Zhang has given us a means to consider Buddhism’s teaching related to human dignity, rights and freedom as stated in the Declaration of Human Rights and the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights. She has pointed out that the concept of “human rights” is not directly addressed by Buddhism but is not incompatible with Buddhist tradition. Zhang approaches this by discussing the Declaration of Human Rights (1948) which discussed “the rights of every individual” and how these are protected in legal form. She correctly points out that dignity, rights and freedoms are often based in the idea of self-determination.