Abstract

The quest for the foundation of the dignity of the human person, source of rights and of respect, leads to the field of philosophical anthropology, which, when asking about human nature and the identity of the person, cannot avoid having recourse to metaphysics. The ethical question regarding the normative value of rights and duties, presupposes metaphysical and anthropological questions. This is the context for the present research: the metaphysical foundation of anthropology and the anthropological foundation of ethics. Following this triad, the article address in the first section the nature of the problem; the second sections offers a line of critical reflection on these three angles of approach. Finally, the third sections discusses the mutual relationships between anthropology, ethics, and law.