Do you agree that there may be certain human qualities like dignity/autonomy that have infinite value? In addition to dignity/autonomy are there other human qualities that you can think of - through your own experience or reflection - that are of infinite value (or, if not, at least, of very high value)? Why do you believe that they hold such value?
Yes and no. Dignity or autonomy may have infinite value – but our conception of value as individuals might differ from society – even when we agree they are of infinite value. The most interesting example I can think of is an individual imprisoned for a crime. While it may appear to us that we have taken his dignity and autonomy, the prisoner may accept his situation completely, finding fulfilment and meaning in small things like cleaning his cell, preparing food in canteens or finding a god to pray to. In doing so, he might find greater happiness than a salaryman who is ‘free’ but must drag himself to a job he dislikes.
Consciousness - What makes human beings special is the remarkable degree of consciousness we possess. The ability to dress ourselves a certain way, dislike a particular movie, conceive of mathematics, programming and poetry. Our ability to internalise our surroundings and translate it to physics has put us on the moon, allowed for breakthroughs in cell biology, and abstraction of concepts like beauty to architecture. Even putting a value on consciousness is derived through consciousness, and if we were conscious of this we might not dare to attempt to put a value on it - making it beyond a category of value (or any category for that matter). The only definition close to consciousness might be God, since defining it puts us at the limit of what makes us human.