Theology of the Body in Simple Language

by Pope John Paul II

Right from the moment of his creation, man is in search of himself. As we would put it today, he is in search of his own identity. By naming every other living creature, Adam discovers what he is not—but he still wonders what he is. Here is the first clue to man’s identity: he cannot identify completely with the physical world. The philosopher Aristotle defined man as a “rational animal.” He is an animal, yes, but he is distinguished from the other animals by his rationality. Only man possesses language and a moral sense—and these things cannot be explained in terms of the physical world alone. By exploring the world around him, Adam grew in self-knowledge. By naming the animals, he learned that he was peculiar among all living creatures. And because he was essentially different from the rest of visible world, he was alone. For the first time, Adam became aware that he was a person.