Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 71 No. 4, 2001.
Review article
Human Life in the Era of Biomedical and Bioethical Challenges
Tonči Matulić
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The article rests on two main theses. The first thesis comprises a range of contemporary biomedical challenges that essentially influence the change in the modality of handling human life from the axiological perspective in an era of biomedical and bioethical challenges. The other thesis points out the continuity of Catholic morality in judging the immoral actions against the human/physical life, where the need to discuss Biblical bases of the value of human life arises. Considering that need it continues exploring the opportunities of the contemporary fulfillment of human life with meaning, from the Christian perspective. It turns out to be a gratifying job only if we go back to sources, i.e. biblical-theological exposition. The analysis of the the Biblical message about the importance of human life presents a step that clearly brings to light the fact that the human/physical life is by no means an absolute value. The Biblical message stays consistent with life as a basic value, which is a fact that stipulates following a certain path of contemplation. In its continuation, the article synthesizes some undesirable occurrences in the contemporary valutative-normative speech about human life with a special emphasis on some aspects of the Catholic moral speech, while giving clear directions for resolving some of the traditional obscurities, i.e. ambiguities in that speech. Also, it warns of some important aspects that come out of a requirement for a definition of a consistent ethics of life and for establishing boundaries of responsibility of a life based on re-introduction of basic forms of conscience.
Keywords
human life; the value of life; Bible; Catholic morality; biomedicine; consistent ethics of life; conscience; responsibility for life
Hrčak ID:
29056
URI
Publication date:
21.5.2002.
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