The existence of certain rights is asserted, and it is argued that because these rights are there, the rules and regulations of society must be altered in a certain way - in order to conform with the rights. So far so good. But now comes the problem. We are not in complete agreement either as to how many outcroppings there are or as to how large they are. Examples are all too easy to find.
Some humans are convinced that one of the sexes has a fundamental right to rule over the other.
Others are just as sure that no such right exists. We may agree that there are both inheritance rights and a right to a fair share of the earth's resources, but we may disagree on which is to take precedence. We may agree that indigenous populations have a right to their traditional way of life and that settlers have a right to theirs - without being able to agree as to which is more important. And cases such as these do not even tax the imagination. We are used to people making claims of rights within certain boundaries of custom and tradition.