109 - Human Nature and Human Dignity

The whole of Catholic social doctrine rests on the answer to the question: What is a human being?

In this episode, we discuss human nature and human dignity. What does it mean to be made in the image of God? What makes human beings unique in comparison with the rest of nature? Do human beings have a particular dignity, or are we just intelligent animals?

Understanding what a human person is helps us to see why human beings must always be at the centre of every society.

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References and further reading/listening/viewing:

⁠⁠The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church⁠, pts 105-134

Catechism of the Catholic Church, pt 357

John Paul II, Redemptor Hominis

Jose Angel Lombo and Francesco Russo, Philosophical Anthropology: An Introduction

USCCB, "Life and Dignity of the Human Person"

Pope Pius XI, Mit Brennender Sorge - particularly this passage: "8. Whoever exalts race, or the people, or the State, or a particular form of State, or the depositories of power, or any other fundamental value of the human community - however necessary and honorable be their function in worldly things - whoever raises these notions above their standard value and divinizes them to an idolatrous level, distorts and perverts an order of the world planned and created by God; he is far from the true faith in God and from the concept of life which that faith upholds."

Hot Fuzz, dir. Edgar Wright

Also, for anyone who teaches English or Philosophy, I recommend the play Juniper Blood, by Mike Bartlett. The plot basically revolves around the question of how to balance our responsibility to the planet with our responsibilities to the people closest to us. The question 'what is the value of a human being?' is really at the heart of the play. Highly recommended as a text for students (mature students -- the play contains a few sexual references and depictions of drug use), super relevant to the questions we're exploring in this episode.