How to Treat Someone with Respect
Oliver Sensen
Abstract
Oliver Sensen analyses what, more concretely, one must do to respect someone. In order to find a universal criterion of respect, Sensen first distinguishes different usages of “respect,” such as “not using someone as a mere means,” “gaining another’s consent,” feeling esteem for someone, or being polite. Sensen argues that—while these usages are of central importance in our everyday life—they are not the universal respect that we always owe to all others. Rather, he argues, universal respect consists in not exalting oneself above others, which itself consists in not breaking rules that we regard as objectively necessary. The discovery of these necessary rules is largely an empirical matter that involves universal human needs, cultural norms, and giving others a voice in how they are treated. If one does not make an exception to these rules, one’s behavior is respectful toward all others.