The Academy’s 11th Plenary Session, on ‘Conceptualization of the Human Person in the Social Sciences’ was originally to have been held in the spring of 2005, but was postponed to November 18-22, 2005, due to the death of Pope John Paul II.
This session, coordinated by Professor Malinvaud, represented a departure from the Academy’s usual programs devoted to studies of concrete social problems in the areas of labor, democracy, globalization and inter-generational relations. There were two main reasons for the decision to devote a special meeting to exploration of issues relating to personhood. In the first place, since a major part of the Academy’s mission is to offer the Church elements that may be useful in the development of her social thought, it was necessary, sooner or later, to gain a deeper understanding of personhood, a concept that is central to, but not systematically developed in, the social teachings.
Secondly, it was desirable to look critically at each of the social sciences from the perspective of Catholic social thought and to try to discern the extent to which they are consistent with Christian anthropology. Since the Academy has no special competence in philosophy, the aim was not to produce a full treatment of the subject, but rather to improve our own understanding. To that end, a number of outside experts were invited to give us the benefit of their specialized knowledge. After reviewing the proceedings published in the present edition of the Acta, the Academy will decide whether and how to pursue this exploration so fruitfully begun in 2005.
Mary Ann Glendon