Introduction to the Origins of Biolaw. A European Perspective

Scientific Essay from the year 2014 in the subject Law - European and International Law, Intellectual Properties, language: English, abstract: In a society which practically values commercial productivity above almost all else, the right to life and human dignity of the weak, sick and infirm is increasingly at risk. This leads to an increasing debate of the concept of human dignity. Deeply rooted in philosophical, moral and religious ideas, human dignity is a concept which can be difficult to access for lawyers. At the same time it has been given pride of place in a number of legal systems, including in Article 1 of the German Constitution, the basic law. It also provides the fundament of international human rights treaties such as the European Convention on Human Rights. In this essay, some of the ideas behind human dignity as a concept are explained against the backdrop of both modern biolaw and international human rights.