Mitten im Sturm. Freiheit, Verantwortung und Menschenwürde angesichts der Corona-Pandemie

Abstract

The article represents a preliminary attempt at a discussion of some of the fundamental questions, with which humanity finds itself confronted during the still ongoing pandemic of the COVID-19 disease. Although it is at the moment almost impossible to assess the entirety of consequences that have been caused by the incision of the crisis connected with the swift spreading of the novel coronavirus, the measures introduced with the intention of its containment give rise to the problem of individual freedoms and the criteria, which can establish the legitimacy of (political) decisions regarding their permissible limitation. If the pandemic in an essential manner shows that human dignity is denoted by the tension between freedom and safety, it perhaps at the same time and in contrast to the well-established emancipatory comprehension also enables a solidary conceptualization of freedom with regard to other human beings and their plight.

Keywords

• covid-19
• crisis
• freedom
• safety
• responsibility
• solidarity
• dignity