Philippine E-Journals

ST. KAROL WOJTYLA AND ST. EDITH STEIN ON HUMAN INDIVIDUALITY: “PAUSING AT THE IRREDUCIBLE” AND WHY THINK ABOUT IT

Jose Adriand Emmanuel L. Layug

 

Abstract:

We seldom read Wojtyla and Stein being studied together on the issue concerning human individuality, especially in the English speaking world. However, as Mette Lebech (2002, 155) accurately states, both philosophers “illustrate one another.” This paper wants to fill this lacuna. The focus is on the issue of human individuality, according to Wojtyla and Stein. However, as the title suggests, the stress is not merely on what they said about human individuality but also equally on why we should think about it. Human individuality is often misunderstood because it is often presented as what and not necessarily inviting others to question why. To limit the scope of the paper, the author will not present the entire thinking on human individuality of the two philosophers. However, it would like to take some preliminary steps to introduce the readers to Wojtyla’s and Stein’s thoughts on human individuality by focusing on their early works and summon the readers to a not-so-often discussed source of human dignity. Thus, this work is more inviting and suggestive than complete and comprehensive. The paper has three parts. The first is to spell out the basic outlines of human individuality, according to Wojtyla and Stein. The second part consists of why think about human individuality. The second division is an attempt to be an expression of “pausing at the irreducible,” a phrase borrowed from Wojtyla. In the third and last part, the author poses some questions, and attempted answers are given, hoping that these may prompt future studies regarding the subject at hand.