Human Dignity as Concept and Lived Experience

In Evangelium vitae, Pope St. John Paul II addresses euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide by striking a balance—maintaining the inherent dignity of all persons while considering the lived experience of those struggling to see dignity amidst suffering. Subsequently, a debate about the word dignity has led to clarifications from the President’s Council on Bioethics (under President George W. Bush) regarding different uses of the word. This essay relies on the work of the council, especially an essay by Edmund Pellegrino, to provide a basis for reflecting on John Paul II’s approach to dignity in Evangelium vitae in terms of concept and lived experience. To further develop these insights, an alternative framework is proposed for thinking about dignity in the practical setting.

Confusing Deliberation

Chapter 5 examines the politics surrounding George W. Bush’s embryonic stem cell policy, and in particular debates over what terms should be used in public debate about human cloning. It examines the approach of the President’s Council on Bioethics to ground its deliberations in a shared language that would open up space for ethical disagreement, rather that limit it in the name of producing consensus. The Council’s project of finding a common language was appropriated by a group of scientists who set about to reform the language employed in public deliberation.