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, as 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. Wolfgang O. von der Gruen, Ph,D. Psychologist/Psychotherapist