Romanian Journal of Bioethics, Vol. 8, No.

3, July – September 2010

BIOETHICS AND THE IDENTITY OF

THE HUMAN PERSON
Mircea Gelu Buta*
Pavel Chiril **
Adina Rebeleanu***
Abstract
If we ask ourselves what is a man?, what is a person?, then we should start out from the
experience we have about ourselves, the experiences of our body, from the continuity in which
the experience of knowledge and thinking is the experience of our entire person and not of a part
(I'm the one thinking, not my brain thinking about me). On the other hand there are sufficient
biological, anthropological and ontological arguments, which show that the concept of human
being and the one of person may be used as synonymous terms, since they indicate the same
reality. The question is why we still prefer to use the concept of person and not the one of human
being. The answer seems as simple as possible. Although we essentially express the same reality,
yet the concept of person attributed to man serves to express uniqueness, for the way a person is
different from any other beings. Christian faith is presented as a place to be welded ”the claim of
dignity and human life socialization”. Human ego finds actually in God not only his Creator, but
also his absolute interlocutor, not just a master of life, but a Father of life, a Brother in human
history, allowing us to understand the deep meaning of being created after the image and
likeness of God. In this article we want to offer our reflections a scientific but also religious
nature, regarding the secrecy and the permanent miracle of the human person’s life.

Key words: bioethics, human person, dignity, Christian spirituality.

To answer the question concerning repeat what we already know about

the identity of a person it is not sufficient human dignity or ultimately we would
to start from a purely spiritual or purely support the perspectives of a dualistic
rational definition, because we can only anthropology [12].

* Univ. Professor, PhD, Faculty of Orthodox Theology, UBB, Cluj- Napoca, Romania, e-mail:
butamircea@yahoo.com
** Univ. Professor, PhD, Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Craiova, Romania
*** Lecturer, PhD, Faculty of Sociology and Social Assistance, UBB, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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 If we want to talk only about physical
life and not about rational and immortal
soul, then we must bring into question
the medical term for “psihism”. It is
about the totality of a person's
psychological characteristics underlying
the human personality. Essentially the
psychic represents the resultant of a
complex set of factors like the fulfillment
of vital needs, mood, emotions,
emotional structure, intelligence, and
capacity for abstraction, practical and
creative work. However, the components
of the psihism are not limited to
conscious perception. They also integrate
laws of the unconscious, instinctive
impulses, genetic and anatomic
physiological factors (cerebral
malformations, hypertrophy of the frontal
lobe, parietal, etc.).
1. The person’s identity
and genetics
Genetics explains the permanence of
the species but also the mechanisms that
generate the irreducible human identity
[10]. Man is unique because the genes
are combined into a single chaining,
which distinguishes him from any of his
fellow. There is a gene for every detail of
his individuality, a certain phenotype,
consisting of facial features, eye colour,
nose shape etc [10].
There is already sufficient evidence to
convince us that there is a genetic
predisposition to disease. There from the
idea of a medicine based on genetic
detection of persons likely to develop a
certain disease. This is what is called
predictive medicine. If in the past, we
started from curative medicine to develop
preventive medicine, now there is a
reverse path. Prediction precedes
prevention, which itself precedes
treatment [5].
However, as Christian bioethicists,
the question we must ask is whether the
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man’s intellectual or moral conduct and
predispositions are genetically
determined or whether his destiny is
inscribed once and for all in his genes
[12]. Of course it is not easy to answer
these questions. However, genes must be
considered the foundation of the body.
Based on that, by conforming to divine
providence or by ignoring it, man can
shape his personality. It is very
dangerous and stupid just to build
something on an unstable soil [17].
2. At the junction of
heredity with environment
The paradox of the human being is
that they are born incomplete, having to
shape by themselves. Therefore, the
environment shapes life permanently. We
can say that every facet of individuality
requires the environment’s participation.
Most times, they are a part of our
tumultuous history. Beyond any doubt,
we are both heredity and environment.
Nothing is exclusively determined by
heredity, as nothing is determined
exclusively by environment [14].
However, we must not forget that
heredity becomes meaningless if an
external aggression destroys a child's
genetic universe. For example, a
mozartian genetic construction has no
value for a child with a damaged psychic
by encephalitis [14].
There is also an exception to the law
of uniqueness. It is about the
monozygotic twins, where two identical
people are subject to the same biological
destiny, but with different social
perspectives. Although most
monozygotic denied the identity,
literature has kept the name of
monozygotic pairs with outstanding
common passions, such as the sea
explorers Jean and Auguste Picard [14].
 3. Neuronal man
If anatomical comparisons between
the human brain and the one of animals
have similarities in terms of morphology
(the construction of hemispheres, lobes
and circumvolutions) as well as the basic
elements (the composition and
functioning of neurons), however the
difference is the importance of
representation of these components. It is
about the encephalon index, whose value
is 1 for an insectivore primitive animal,
11.3 for a chimpanzee and 28.7 for man.
Although the difference is significant,
more important seems to be the relative
number of synapses, because the brain
works based on information received
from the outside, processed internally
and organized in hundreds of billions of
nerve cells that compose it [9].
From these observations it can be
inferred that to the ”neuronal man” the
brain activity is the production of mental
representations, after the nerve cell
processes the information obtained
through the sense organs or from an
interaction with the environment, either
spontaneously by internal focus of
attention [6].
Of course, one might wonder whether
the brain system can self-perceive or can
be led by itself. The answer is definitely
not because consciousness is not just a
cluster of neural connections. It is an
interception of all the activities of the
human body and human language. So it
is not a reduction to the activity of a
single organ.
Every human being has self-
consciousness and not a conscience
which a part of the body would have it
upon itself or upon other part. However,
there is intent in knowledge even more a
reflection of human [6].
The concept of reflection introduces a
new dimension, that of meaning. To
knowledge is not enough to just handle
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images. It is required a global perception
of reality. If words are in the service of
thoughts and their communication, the
thoughts are in the service of
intelligence, which is related to an
objective reality [12].
4. Body and soul
The body does not represent a
recipient of the spirit but an organ of it. It
is a definite space-matter-time issue that
science is studying with precision and
competence.
Except its principle of unity, the
human body is nothing. The body is not
pure matter led by an exterior soul. The
body is the being considered in its
materiality, while the soul is the being
considered in its spirituality. Therefore, a
human body is the bearer of a life
project. Moreover, it is the bearer of a
life desire and experience that founds his
rights acknowledged by moral [15].
Man is made of "the dust of this
world" or more suggestive "Star Dust",
but also from a unifying spiritual
component. Man does not have a soul,
but he is a living soul, as he does not
have a body, but he is a vivid body.
"The Body" is man in his entirety, but
we must point out immediately, and
within his limits as a creature. He is a
being made of meat, which means it is
limited in time and space, which means
he is not God [7].
Meat defines thes fragile human
freedom. The body, says St. Paul, ”can
become spiritual”. On the contrary, when
the man obeys, he only seeks the identity
in himself. "You will be like God"
promises the biblical serpent (Genesis 3,
5); "the body" represents the closed
finite, sealed by death, of the creature
separated from God. In this case, we can
say with a formula belonging to St. Paul
again, that the spirit becomes bodily [7].
However, according to the Greek
conception (platonic), man is composed
of a body and soul. They are both created
by God and should not be despised. The
soul is by nature divine and immaterial,
being summoned to attend divine nature
(the uncreated energies) through a gift of
God.
As fully demonstrated by Saint
Gregory of Nyssa the soul does not exist
prior to body, it does not come "from
somewhere" in the flesh, but according to
the commandment of God, comes into
existence simultaneously with the body,
from conception, as witness the liturgical
feasts of The Annunciation, the
conception of the Virgin Mary and St.
John the Baptist. The embryo is thus an
immortal soul and an eternal destiny.
Disabled persons and mentally ill
patients have in the same extent an
immortal soul, called for the divine
vision. We owe them the particular
attention that the weakest and worst
affected limbs of the Christ’s body
deserve.
After death, the soul continues to live
separately from the body, but it keeps a
certain connection with this body called
for the Resurrection, which explains the
cult of Saint Relics and the miracles that
Saints do through them. The soul
separated from the body has a conscious
life, but even the righteous souls who are
with Christ, will enjoy full happiness
only after the resurrection of the bodies,
in the last day [3].
5. The principle of the person
The concepts of soul and body enable
the smooth functioning of the genome
and neurons. But the man is something
more than that, he is a person [3].
The way human beings should be
seen and treated is based on the Christian
view that man was created in the image
and likeness of God [1] (Gen. 1, 27). So,
every man bears deep inside this
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appearance, as an inalienable
consciousness. The image of God is the
one giving absolute value to each human
being and makes it sovereign; worthy of
respect, whatever the gender, race, age or
condition [11].This means that man is a
dynamic creature, who exists in
relationship with Trinitarian God. He
thinks of Him and relates to Him [13].
Related to this subject it can be
observed the grammatical plural of
biblical reference about the creation of
man "And God said: Let us make man in
Our image and likeness" (Genesis 1, 26).
The Holy Fathers see in this the first
Scriptural revelation on people of the
Holy Trinity [11].
Regarding the body, the deserved
respect comes from the fact that it is a
constituent part of human nature,
accomplice to the face of God in man
[11]. In addition, its value is given by the
fact that the Son of God, being made
man, thus taking human look, He
sanctified it, so, as Paul says "the temple
of the Holy Spirit" (I Cor. 6.19) [1].
By the Incarnation of the Word, who
assumed the whole of humanity, every
human is mysteriously covered in the
body of Christ, as Christ, is mysteriously
identified with each man. Therefore, He
says that whenever we do something
good or bad to any of our fellows,
whether he is the least important of men,
we do Him something good or bad. (Cf.
Mt. 25. 31-46) [1].
It is important to understand that the
dignity of a person is conferred by God
and not by people. In other words, the
sacredness of human life, the sacredness
of God himself invested in the body from
the moment of conception does not
depend on its physical and mental health
or quality of its DNA. Here's why an
embryo or a patient in advanced state of
coma is an upright person, which means
a human being, soul and body, visible
and invisible. Here's why infanticide
would never be approved and blessed by
the Church, namely the concept of The
Gospel [2].
The sanctity invested by God in a
child from the moment of conception
does not depend on his/her physical and
mental health or the quality of his DNA.
We would mention here the children with
Down disease (Trisomy 21). Everyone
who takes care of this kind of persons
knows how much effort is required by
their education. But we also know how
much joy and happiness these children
give to the people around them.
I remember our professor of
Paediatrics at the University of Medicine
of Iasi living an undisguised joy in the
midst of these children. His face beamed
with joy and his satisfaction was obvious.
Do we really want to live in a world
without children just because there are
ultrasounds and that abortion is
legalized? We think and we hope not,
because every child, without exception,
is entitled to an infinite compassion [2].
6. About suffering
If some Orthodox Christian
theologians support the spiritual value of
suffering (Harakas 1990, Breck 1998),
others consider that suffering is not God's
plan regarding the man, when relating to
the Eastern Holy Fathers’ teachings that
differ from Western thinking of
Augustinian inspiration,. They argue that
it is an illusion to see in our diseases,
moreover, in our misfortunes that strike,
the seal of our spiritual destiny [11].
Today, reality shows that 50% of
diseases, infirmity and death are the
result of the lifestyle that people adopt.
The control on the risk factors such as
unbalanced diet, excessive alcohol
consumption, smoking, drugs, sexual
promiscuity, environmental pollution,
etc., or in theological terms "the fall into
133
sin" could prevent 40-70% of all
premature deaths, 33 % of total infirmity
cases and 66% of chronic diseases [4].
The fact that man hurts so bad his
spirit, by working against everything
fundamentally useful to him, getting to
amputate his being completely by
immersing deeper into misery, departing
the fullness of life and happiness, which
was gifted from the start, is really insane,
as the Holy Fathers say [4].
You need to realize that the Gospel
can free us from the power of magical-
astrological reveries or mistakes. The 18
people killed by the collapse of Siloam
tower were not more sinful than other
people who lived in Jerusalem, but the
human existence is precarious. (Lc.13 0.4
to 5). Neither the born blind, nor his
parents had sinned, but God's work was
to cure him (In. 9, 1-3) [7].
Suffering has no value. It does not
save aprioristic, and it is capable to
dehumanize or even push man to
desperation. Therefore, we do not have to
seek for it or to maintain it. But when it
cannot be avoided, suffering has to be
assumed Christianly, in order to take
from it a spiritual benefit. In other words,
we try to follow Christ, who by accepting
the trials accepted the suffering [11].
Thus, the medical science has the
duty to fight against suffering, to ease it
or even eliminate it, but ensuring that the
patient is kept conscious. Therefore,
using a drug, in this case, such as
morphine, should not provoke any
objection [11].
7. The patient should
be seen as a person
The fundamental principle to apply in
relation with the sick man is to consider
him a person. In other words, it is about
taking into account all three dimensions
of human being. But if the body, soul and
spirit refer to its nature, that is what we
have in common; personality refers to
what everybody has in their own way,
unique and non-transferable [11].
Knowing this principle helps us see
the patient first and then his illness, to
respect the psychology of the one who
suffers, which naturally derives from his
own history and his particular way of
life.
When the patient feels that the
members of the medical team caring for
him regard him as a unique being and
appreciate him for what he really is,
considering him irreplaceable, that they
are sensitive to the suffering that the
disease causes him, to his own needs and
care about what will happen to him, he
will declare himself extremely pleased
[5].
The patient needs to have his
suffering understood, and feels the need
to be sympathized. This requires time to
start a deep communication relationship
with the patient. This will help you to
understand the suffering and needs, to
look at them from the inside, like a
brother and not just from a technical
point of view [5].
Except for some marginal deviations,
Christianity has never stated that illness
or suffering is a fatality, which should be
accepted as such. In a world where the
absence of spiritual values makes it
harder for the patient to give a sense of
his sufferings and to face temptations
related to this, in a world where many
patients face loneliness, the ability of the
members of the medical care team to
demonstrate that love for their fellows
represents a very valuable therapy [5].
Many of those visiting the patients,
being preoccupied with their daily tasks,
spend with them only a few minutes.
Today, giving a part of our time may be
expensive, because it means giving a part
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of our lives and eventually giving
something of ourselves. Therefore, the
gift of giving some of your time to the
others is now an act of love, because it
means you give up yourself to the benefit
of the others.
The willingness to listen to the
patient, or even the mere presence or
accompanying the patient to medical
advice or investigation, are obviously
qualities required from anyone caring for
sick people. Moreover, the willingness to
listen to the others represents a form of
confessing your faith, because it requires
humility on the part of the listener.
Listening means to stand in the shadow
of the other, to forget about yourself, to
help the other, and only love can do this.
If sometimes the patient speaks to us
and expects us to talk to him, to feel our
love, comfort, strength, other times he
needs our silence. Paradoxically, silence
helps even more than the most beautiful
words. Patients do not need big words or
sermons like those uttered by Job's
friends, presented by the Scripture as an
example of inappropriate behaviour. The
patient expects a loving conduct from us,
which we can only show by carefully
listening to the one in pain, for a better
understanding and knowledge, in order to
fulfill the real needs, as much as possible
[5].
By assisting the patient to think of
God, the spirituality becomes more rich
and noble, because these are the
moments we manage to clarify our
philosophy of life and strengthen our
faith. How right was Professor Julius
Hatieganu when saying that ”medicine is
science and consciousness”, and if this
consciousness represents and means
faith, then we deal with probably the
most beautiful definition of medicine [5].
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