The Book

On the Origin of Dignity

Its Creation and Enhancement

By Walter W. Tunstall, Ph.D.  ·  Published September 12, 2017  ·  110 Pages

On the Origin of Dignity — book cover

Synopsis

In On the Origin of Dignity Dr. Tunstall presents a revolutionary, provocative and original theory that spells out how our dignity comes into being. This monumental work recounts dignity's long existence as a concept, and its growth as a major theme within current international discourse. It moves beyond dignity's existence as a mere belief to explain how dignity becomes a living experienced dimension within each human being.

On the Origin of Dignity sheds new light on its topic by going beyond the conventional and mythic accounts of dignity's origin to offer a detailed explanation of how, when, and where self-worth or dignity comes into being. The book describes dignity's emergence within a universal psychological process as integral and elemental to human experience as breathing. It is not dependent upon social norms, tradition or religious and philosophical traditions to account for dignity's origin. Instead, it offers a detailed explanation of dignity's creation within day-to-day, moment-to-moment interpersonal experience.

On the Origin of Dignity asserts that human interaction is the co-creative nexus from which dignity emerges. It clarifies and provides a coherent and understandable account of why and how the underlying psychological process of validation unifies many of the customary and disputed meanings associated with the idea of dignity in centuries past. This original work appears at a time when a Zeitgeist exists that seems to have forgotten the importance of dignity in maintaining a civilized society. Dignity, as On the Origin of Dignity makes clear, may well be the essential ingredient in human striving that achieves stable civilizations locally and globally.

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To understand the origin of dignity is to understand what it means to be fully human — and to hold that understanding as both a responsibility and a gift.

Walter W. Tunstall

Inside the Book

Key Themes & Ideas

The Origin of Dignity

Where does dignity come from? Tunstall traces its philosophical and historical roots, examining how different traditions and thinkers have understood the source of human worth.

Dignity as a Dynamic Quality

Rather than treating dignity as a fixed inheritance, the book argues it is something actively created — shaped by choices, relationships, and the conditions of one's life.

Enhancement Through Understanding

Tunstall explores how a deeper understanding of dignity's origins equips individuals and communities to consciously strengthen it — in themselves and in others.

Dignity in Practice

Drawing on his work with persons with chronic disabilities, the author grounds abstract philosophical ideas in lived human experience, making the argument both rigorous and real.

Ethics & Human Worth

The book engages with foundational questions in moral philosophy — what we owe each other, how we recognize worth, and why dignity matters for how we organize our lives together.

A Call to Attention

Ultimately, the work is a call to take dignity seriously — not as a platitude, but as a concept with genuine philosophical depth and profound practical consequences.

For the Reader

What You Will Gain

Clarity

A clear, psychologically grounded understanding of what dignity is and where it comes from — cutting through vague assumptions to reach something solid.

Perspective

A view of dignity across history and traditions, showing how different cultures and thinkers have grappled with the same fundamental questions.

Purpose

Practical insight into how dignity can be actively cultivated — in your own life, in your relationships, and in the institutions you are part of.

Pages

110

Published

Sept 12, 2017

Language

English

Ready to Read?

Available in softcover, hardcover, and e-book on Amazon.

The Book

On the Origin of Dignity

Its Creation and Enhancement

By Walter W. Tunstall

Published: September 12, 2017  ·  110 Pages

Editions & ISBNs

  • Softcover: 978-1-4808-5174-0
  • Hardcover: 978-1-4808-5173-3
  • E-Book: 978-1-4808-5175-7

© 2026 Walter W. Tunstall. All rights reserved.

Language: English  ·  Dimensions: 5.5 × 8.5