Current Challenges of Human Authenticity: A Jonasian Perspective

Among the results of the social and technological development of the last two centuries is the challenge to the traditional notion of “dignitas hominis”, which was developed during the Renaissance and then used to define the ontological, ethical, political, and educational perimeter of the human being. These technological and social changes forced the social sciences, jurisprudence, and philosophy to reframe the traditional notion of “dignitas hominis” as to include a reflection on “human authenticity”. This notion is also central to the thinking of Hans Jonas, who has the merit of pointing out its manifold relevance. Therefore, after an opening excursus on the notion of “dignity”, the article enquires into “authenticity” from a Jonasian point of view with the aim of underlining additional reasons for the extension of the traditional notion of “dignity” to “authenticity”. The main hypothesis is that this effort is related to the recognition of the role played by humans in the systematic threat to the preservation of the ground in which dignity is rooted, i.e. terrestrial life. This forces human beings to become aware of their existential precariousness and of the limits to their deeds. As a result, bringing authenticity to the foreground not only reminds humans of their essential relation to earthly life, but also of their duty to respect its dignity and preserve its richness. In the final section, the article explores some ethical, political, and educational implications of this duty.