Defining Human Personhood: Substantialist, Deontological, and Pragmatist Perspectives

Defining Human Personhood: Philosophical Perspectives

The status of the embryo as a human person involves defining and differentiating between the concepts of personality, personhood, and utilitarian pragmatism.

1. Substantialist Vision (Personalism)

The substantialist perspective asserts that human biological life and bodily presence constitute a person, possessing intrinsic value from beginning to end. Human dignity is present from conception until natural death; it is an ontological dignity that holds absolute value, which cannot be reduced for any reason. This value confers a moral dignity, serving as the basic principle of human morality, requiring the recognition, defense, and legal protection of human life. This integral view of human beings is the only approach that guarantees full respect for human dignity.

2. Deontological Vision (Personism)

The deontological perspective argues that human biological life and the body become a person only when specific conditions are met, such as consciousness, rationality, or the capacity to prioritize pleasure over pain. Under this view, biological life gains moral recognition and ontological dignity only when these conditions are present. This Cartesian anthropology suggests that the essence of a human being is contained in rationality rather than the body. Consequently, if rationality has not yet developed or has been lost due to aging or disease, this view suggests there is no moral obligation to recognize an absolute value of human dignity.

3. Pragmatist Vision (Utilitarian-Liberal)

The pragmatist perspective argues that questioning human dignity based on the presence of a human body lacks real meaning. Instead, human dignity is viewed as a subjective assessment—a social agreement developed over time for self-defense. In this framework:

• There is no ontological dignity, only moral dignity.
• Dignity is based on an evaluation of others.
• Recognition is granted to those with consciousness and autonomy, while those who have not yet reached or have lost these conditions are excluded.

This neo-empiricist approach situates the moral recognition of human dignity solely on the presence of certain external, empirical conditions.