This subject for D-SP analysis came to being on the wake of a specific request from a member of Delphi, who claimed in the #truth forum that I was replying to her postings without due "respect for her basic dignity."
Seemingly, the subject should be RESPECT, for 'basic dignity' is an ambiguous expression, the intended meaning being, the respect any person deserves irrespectively of his social status. (See: LINGUISTIC COMMUNICATION, and CLARITY OF LANGUAGE.)

Although it is arguable that respect occurs only among humans, it is not far-fetched to posit that animals that do not attack others show a "basic respect," even though it has nothing to do with "dignity." Dogs tend not to respect cats, yet puppies and kittens growing up together "learn" mutual respect. In their case, familiarity does not breed contempt.... With children, mutual respect is very much learned from caring adults. However, the evolutionary principles enunciated in my essays on THE BAD and THE GOOD are the platform to understanding the essentiality of mutual respect for the community's benefit.

The TEN COMMANDMENTS, as Moses' nuclear laws are called, start in earnest by demanding from the people respect for their Only God (the specific One that had taken them out from Egyptian bondage).
Then, The Sabbath (the day of rest from work), must be strictly respected. The reason is not difficult to understand: only a People that chooses a weekly day of rest is FREE. Thus, the Israelites, the People of Israel, are enjoined to fight for freedom. (The Romans said the Jews were lazy barbarians, for their adamancy in keeping the Sabbath!)
Given that the Sabbath is respected, now the following commandment determines that parents be the object of filial respect. (The word in Hebrew means both to respect and to honor, that is, dignifying.)
The rest of Moses' commands, as etched by the finger of the Israelites' God, refer to 'do!s' and 'don't!s,' with no reference to mutual respect...
Moses was heavy of tongue, and stammered, but he was not wanting in the capacity to filling in that oversight on the part of Israel's God: Moses added an Eleventh Commandment, to wit,

"Respect your acquaintance in the measure that you respect yourself."

This advice was based on Moses' knowledge that in order to respect others, first one has to be lucky enough to respect himself.

For all of his physical and emotional stamina, besides his princely education, Moses committed at least three significant mistakes:
He concealed from the Midianites his Israelite identity, choosing to say, "Egyptian I am." His punishment for this self-disrespect: the Passover Haggadah does not recall his name.
He felt unable to circumsize his son, as Israelite fathers did, and asked his wife, a gentile and a woman, to perform that act. She showed her spite by calling him a 'bloody' husband.
Toward the end of his days, he lost his restrained demeanor. Until then, he had chastised the ACTS of the People of Israel. Now, he DISRESPECTED them: he vent his anger by hitting with his staff the water-giving rock, instead of gently approaching it, as commanded by his God; and worse, he told his charges, "YOU ARE a rebellious and stubborn people!"

This time Moses' punishment was not to enter the Promised Land: God allowed him just a Pisga sight of the future Land of Israel.