What is the basis for rights?

[Rationalist]

As a side conversation in a different thread, a discussion regarding rights happened, and it was suggested that I start an independent thread on it.

So, what do you believe is the basis for rights?

Personally, I like elements of the natural rights argument, even though I'm not religious.

[Peter1469]

Right.

You can accept natural rights from a religious or secular point of view. First Things by Hadley Arkes is a good resource.

[Mister D]

This will be entertaining.

[Mister D]

Rationalist, our progressive members can be very weird about this. They obviously accept the premise of Natural Rights but the term itself seems to evoke some kind of libertarian conspiracy.

[Crepitus]

As a side conversation in a different thread, a discussion regarding rights happened, and it was suggested that I start an independent thread on it.

So, what do you believe is the basis for rights?

Personally, I like elements of the natural rights argument, even though I'm not religious.

It's very simple as far as I'm concerned. Your rights come from the society you live in. (Morals too BTW).

I don't believe there is a supreme being of any sort, so forget about "God given".

That lion is gonna eat you so forget about "natural" right.

But if you get together with a buncha other folks, you collectively can eat the lion and go form a religion to grant you "god given" rights for an encore.

But they really come from your society.

[Ethereal]

Reason.

[Captain Obvious]

Reason.

Basis for rights?

Your ability to protect them, or you collective ability to protect them with like minds.

Outside of that, good luck. You're $#@!ed, literally beyond that.

[Rationalist]

It's very simple as far as I'm concerned. Your rights come from the society you live in. (Morals too BTW).

I don't believe there is a supreme being of any sort, so forget about "God given".

That lion is gonna eat you so forget about "natural" right.

But if you get together with a buncha other folks, you collectively can eat the lion and go form a religion to grant you "god given" rights for an encore.

But they really come from your society.

If you believe that, then it sounds like rights are arbitrary and are just a matter of convincing people that something should be a right. That does actually explain very well the whole mentality of declaring healthcare a right.

[MisterVeritis]

Because we exist we have rights to protect our lives, liberty and property.

[Chris]

It's very simple as far as I'm concerned. Your rights come from the society you live in. (Morals too BTW).

I don't believe there is a supreme being of any sort, so forget about "God given".

That lion is gonna eat you so forget about "natural" right.

But if you get together with a buncha other folks, you collectively can eat the lion and go form a religion to grant you "god given" rights for an encore.

But they really come from your society.

But do you not believe you have a right to defend your life against that lion? That'd what rights, natural rights, are about, not whether you win against the lion and live.