Caritas et veritas 2022, 12(2):117-132 | DOI: 10.32725/cetv.2022.033

Differentiation of the theological conception of the human person and personality in relation to selected approaches of empirical functionalism

Ondřej Havelka

Univerzita Karlova v Praze, Katolická teologická fakulta, Thákurova 3, 160 00 Praha 6

The article deals with the problem of the theological conception of the human person and personality, two seemingly competing models of the concept of the person, and the risks of some lines of thought of empirical functionalism in relation to the dilemmas of Christian applied ethics from the perspective of theological-ethical principle of personality. In this thesis we follow the methodological three steps proposed by the Second Vatican Council: 1. to see (chapter two in the structure of the thesis); 2. to judge (chapter three); 3. to act (chapter four). The shift in theme is the distinction of the ontological level of the human person from the actualization and realization of the human person, then the characteristic features and manifestations of actual being a person (not only) in consciously experienced personhood, and finally the proposal of reconciling some seemingly contradictory lines of thought through the extension of the person in consciously experienced personhood. The aim of of the thesis is to clarify the differentiation of the ontological and actualizing levels of being a person and to point out some of the risks of the distinctively relational models of empirical functionalism with respect to the theological-ethical principle of personhood. Theoretical deepening of the understanding of the human person and personality has far-reaching implications for the practice of social work; herein lies the importance of the issue under consideration. We conclude that it is not correct to view the static and dynamic conceptions of the human person as two mutually hostile models, but rather as two foci of the same thought ellipses. The recognition of the ineffable dignity of the human person must not be tied to actual consciousness, relational or other functions, for this contradicts the sense of the principle of personhood on which theological ethics is based. The involvement of the concept of personhood in the problem under consideration, on the contrary, states
the approach of ontological personalism and selected relational models of empirical functionalism into harmony, which implies the possibility of synergy of the strengths of both models in the application of the principle of personality in practice.

Keywords: theological ethics, principle of personality, human person, personality, ontological personalism, empirical functionalism

Accepted: April 11, 2023; Published: April 15, 2023  Show citation