Preface

Summary

I have fashioned this book as a symphony. There are several forms of the symphony, but in this depiction I have sought a literal and an artistic understanding of this word. Sym-phonia (συμφωνία) means bringing together various sounds or voices into a coherent presentation. So literally, the etymology refers to creating a harmony of voices, and since there are many voices in the cacophony of human rights discourse, I have taken it upon myself to present many of these voices and the patterns they convey and then to forge what I think is an account that best addresses critical problems: the melody of natural human rights.

The second meaning of the word refers to the artistic way I try to do this. My composition technique combines what I have termed “direct discourse philosophy” with “fictive narrative philosophy.” Direct discourse philosophy is what most people in the West think of when they consider philosophy. The materials are the claim (conclusion) and the reasons (premises that interact via an inferential logical structure). Most of this book is presented via direct discourse philosophy. However, there are a few variations to the themes via fictive narrative philosophy, as well. These come in the form of four original short stories that introduce each movement in the composition.