Człowiek w myśli Jana Pawła II

Abstract

The aim of this article is presenting the understanding of the
concept of „human being”. The author makes „John Paul II’s
thought” the source of his reflection. The question: „who is man?”
becomes the starting point of the deliberations.
Firstly, he presents man as the subject dominating the world
of objects. This term denotes man having the ability to learn the
truth about the world in a special and specific way and, as a consequence,
to learn the truth about himself (self-cognition). It also
denotes man who is a separate being, having his own, distinct
and unique personality.
Secondly, he draws attention to man as a person and the
resulting characteristics: his rationality, freedom, morality and
consciousness.
And thirdly, the author (following John Paul II) calls man
a Christian. He claims that it is this „specification” of man as
a person that determines his perspective, not only natural, but
first of all supernatural. The key to such vision of man is Jesus
Christ – the Redeemer, who as an example of man’s image by
virtue of God’s nature being realised in Him and at the same time
full human nature, fully reveals man to man himself and shows
him his highest vocation. Man’s image understood and interpreted
in this way leads to the necessity to discern dignity, greatness
and full humanity he deserves by virtue of Redemption.