Criterion of Rights
The Basic Idea
We are all raised to be good people - to act ethically and contribute to society. However, it’s not always easy to decide what is ‘ethical’, as different philosophies suggest different criteria to distinguish right from wrong. The criteria deemed necessary for an action to be considered moral is known as the criterion of rights. A criterion of rights is a standard upon which a decision or judgement should be based in order to ensure that people act morally,1 which in turn ensures all people have access to basic human rights.