równoprawn

Równoprawn is a theoretical term in political and legal philosophy describing a status in which individuals or non-human actors have equal rights and equal legal standing before the law. It is used as a heuristic for evaluating justice and the design of institutions, rather than as a fixed doctrine.

Etymology and scope: The word blends równy (equal) with a root related to prawny (legal) and is employed to denote universal rights rather than a specific legal category. In discussions, równoprawn signals parity across all subjects of law, including conventional humans and non-traditional bearers of rights.

Core principles: The concept implies universal due process, non-discrimination, and proportional access to resources, while inviting careful consideration of capacity, duties, and accountability when extending rights to new actors such as animals or artificial intelligences.

Applications and debates: In scholarship and speculative fiction, równoprawn provides a frame for critiquing anthropocentrism and for examining reforms that extend rights beyond traditional human communities. It is often contrasted with models that tie rights to capacity, duties, or species membership.

Criticism and status: Critics argue that the notion can be vague and difficult to implement in practice, particularly around criteria for eligibility and responsibility. Proponents view it as a useful benchmark for justice and the evolution of rights, though it remains primarily a theoretical construct rather than a formal legal category.