Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence

A truly human future cannot be built on the fantasy of overcoming every limitation or perfecting humanity through technology.

Human flourishing begins with the recognition that we are dependent creatures who need one another and are ultimately accountable to something beyond ourselves. Progress should not be measured by efficiency, wealth, or technical achievement alone, but by whether it strengthens human dignity, expands participation, protects the vulnerable, and promotes the wellbeing of the whole community.

Building the common good requires shared responsibility, honest recognition of our limitations, and practical ways of ensuring that technological and economic development serve people rather than the other way around.

Introduction

Part 3: Building for the common good

    • Human flourishing begins with recognizing our dependence on God, one another, and the broader communities that sustain us.

    • Human limitations and vulnerabilities are not defects to be eliminated but essential aspects of what it means to be human.

    • Technological progress should be evaluated according to its contribution to human dignity and the common good rather than its ability to maximize efficiency, productivity, or control.

    • Building a just society requires shared responsibility, broad participation, and the recognition that every person has a role to play in shaping the future.

    • Human dignity, care for the poor, stewardship of creation, the fair distribution of goods, and the pursuit of peace provide essential standards for evaluating economic and technological development.

    1. If human dignity is the measure of progress, what would economic development look like if it were designed around the needs of communities rather than the demands of capital?

  • Download the PDF version of this page, “Building for the common good.”

Download the PDF