Human Dignity and Bioethics

xii | Letter of Transmittal
dignity has lost its traditional meaning. Others, by contrast, hold
firmly to the view that dignity is an essential identifying and irreducible
element of human nature. Still others take a more biological than
philosophical or theological viewpoint on the question of the meaning
of human dignity. An appreciation of the variety of these views is
critical, if we are to understand the divergences in how we think and
act in response to the challenges posed by contemporary bioethics.
Ultimately, the fundamental questions in law and ethics will be
shaped by what we think it means to be human and what we understand
to be the ethical obligations owed to the human person. We believe
that the two volumes—Being Human and Human Dignity and
Bioethics—provide the public and policymakers with the materials
for a deeper understanding of the foundations upon which we build
our answers to life’s most challenging questions.
Sincerely,
Edmund D. Pellegrino, M.D.
Chairman