Catholic Perspectives on Human Biotechnological Enhancement. (May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pinsent, Andrew; Biggins, Sean
• Other Names: Burdett Michael guest-editor.; Lorrimar Victoria guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Studies in Christian ethics. Volume 32:Number 2(2019)
• Page Start: 187
• Page End: 199
• Publication Date: 2019-05
• Subjects: Catholicism -- grace -- biotechnological enhancement -- transhumanism -- joint attention; Christian ethics -- Periodicals; Morale chrétienne -- Périodiques; 241.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0953946819826769
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-9468

Abstract

Although there is some consonance in the language of transcendence between proponents of the Catholic faith and of human biotechnological enhancement (HBE), their goals are incommensurate. Nevertheless, consistent with the valuation of the body as integral to the human person, Catholic culture has in fact proven to be a fruitful context for developing external therapeutic HBEs. Catholic perspectives on internal HBEs, especially in the context of 'transhumanism', are, by contrast, neither clear-cut nor easy to establish. A prerequisite for progress is to understand what is meant by flourishing in a Catholic worldview, the root metaphor of which is second-person relatedness to God, culminating in divine friendship. Hence important measures of success of internal HBEs will include sustaining, or at least not impeding, thoughtful attention and the capacity to receive experiences that can sanctify the mind.