The Irreducible Self

The Human Person as the Imago Dei

I am not merely an object,

such an object of sex.

Nor am I merely an object of labor,

nor an object of color,

nor an economic object,

nor a functional object.

I am neither an object of classification,

nor an object of experimentation.

My existence is not reducible to anything,

because I am not a thing.

I am not merely an objective observer,

as if I could remove myself from my self

and my observations.

I am also a subjective self,

seeing the world through my eyes, from inside my skin.

I am a living,

vibrant,

breathing,

pulsating,

feeling,

intuitive,

passionate

human being.

I am that and much, much more:

I am an irreducible self,

an “I,”

a person.