Reification and the Ontology of Human Dignity

The continuous inhuman treatment of man by man necessitated this article. Reification of man by man is the worst treatment man can receive and we see this happening on daily basis globally. We refer to commodification of human beings in Libya, Kidnapping for monetary ransom in Nigeria, mass shooting in the United States for varied reasons, underpayment of workers in some Western countries as a result of nondocumentation of immigrants, casualization of workers in some African countries, etc. Reification features also in the manner man pays more attention to the products of technology than to himself and other human beings. This paper calls for the restoration of and respect for human dignity as this is natural to man. Man cannot be alienated from this dignity no matter the reason – human or divine.

Keywords: Reification, Heidegger, Marx, Lukacs, Honneth, Human Dignity, Thingnification, Thomistic.