Science without Ethics "Out of Bounds," Says Vatican Official
(Nov.19,2008):- “Science without ethics is out of bounds”, said the President of the
Pontifical Academy for Life, Archbishop Rino Fisichella. In an article published Nov.
18 by Vatican’s newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, the prelate said “science that
is for the purpose of experimenting with human life without any ethics, lends itself
to be suspect of being at the service of those in power, rather than for the good
of humanity”. Archbishop Fisichella emphasized that human life “possesses a sacredness
for Christians because it is first of all a mystery, from its beginnings until its
end. In its very nature, the archbishop noted, it is beyond comprehension, and for
this reason “it must be respected by all.” Just as states are capable of defending
and promoting human life and of expressing an opinion on issues related to it, “in
the same way, the freedom of the Church to express her own teaching cannot be limited
by any scientist or scholar who thinks we should not talk about these issues,” Archbishop
Fisichella stated. “If other people find their certainties in science, they will not
find opposition in us,” he added. “We would like to respectfully remind them, he said,
that science also does not have definitive certainties and that the mystery of human
existence with its unavoidable questions about its meaning, is also valid for them.
They don’t need to necessarily listen to the Catholic Church, but if they keep the
door of their reason open, and give room to the force of reason, that is enough,”
the archbishop explained.