Regrounding Dignity through Embodiment—Moving Beyond the Dilemmas of Western Classical Dignity

The classic discourse on Western dignity, from Cicero in the classical period to Kant in the Enlightenment, has denigrated human animality, defining dignity as the superior status of humans transcending animals, or the reason in human nature transcending animality. This concept of dignity elevates the value of human reason and the capacity for free choice, forming the ideological source of the contemporary Western ideal of equal respect. However, this de- animalized ideal of dignity may lead to some adverse consequences. It further reinforces human domination and exploitation of animals, and also allows humans to evade and reject their own animality. It constructs ethics and politics from the perspective of the ideal reasonable agent, negating human dependency and vulnerability. It links human dignity with abstract concepts such as reason and autonomy, viewing dignity as an inherent value or attribute within humans themselves, and neglecting the connection between human dignity and social justice. To avoid the impact of these adverse consequences, we can draw on the intellectual resources of theorists such as Martha Nussbaum and Axel Honneth to reground dignity through embodiment. The embodied perspective highlights human dependency and vulnerability, prompting us to pay attention to the suffering and needs of others, and thus to take proactive actions to alleviate harm. The embodied perspective can better address the vulnerability of dignity, requiring society to provide all citizens with the necessary conditions to protect their personal dignity and to be free from humiliation.