They have limits within reason and they are relinquished when used to infringe upon others. Along these lines Eidelberg stresses that man to have been granted these rights must possess certain special qualities;
Surely a being thus endowed must be potentially capable of governing himself without impairing the unalienable rights of others. Presumably, such a being would have the capacity to distinguish between his immediate wants and his long-range interests. He would have to understand how the pursuit of his own interests may affect the well-being of others, and how the wants and interests of others may affect his own... If he is to show "a decent respect to the opinions of mankind," he would have to address the reason rather than the passions of mankind, which means he would have to defend his own claims by reasoning.
Eidelberg 9)
Reason is therefore a requirement for the retention of these rights. If a person is not possessed of reason to control his own actions and to think of how his actions will affect another he is not granted or deserving of such rights, yet again they are not absolute.
Finally the final claim that proves that the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness are not absolute one must look at the issue of eminent domain. The framers of the constitution were clear that the ownership of property was an essential aspect of the freedom protected...
Yet, within these foundational documents of this newly formed government there is still an assertion of the right of eminent domain, a full mediation of the idea that there are times when private property would better serve the common good. This claim then takes from one individual his or her rights presumably for the good of the whole, again proving that the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is not an absolute right for any who possess it conditionally.
Aguirre, and Vu 101)
Works Cited
Aguirre, Adalberto, and Frances Vu. "Eminent Domain and City Redevelopment in California: An Overview and Case Study." Social Justice 33.3 (2006): 101. Questia. 29 Apr. 2008 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5020039975.
Eidelberg, Paul. On the Silence of the Declaration of Independence. Amherst University of Massachusetts Press, 1976. Questia. 29 Apr. 2008 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=9674133.
Hole, Robert. "The American Declaration of Independence of 4 July 1776." History Review (2001): 38. Questia. 29 Apr. 2008 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5000957981.
Mace, George. Locke, Hobbes, and the Federalist Papers: An Essay on the Genesis of the American Political Heritage. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1979. Questia. 29 Apr. 2008 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=1381039.
