Pope Says Scientific Progress Must Always Defend Human Dignity

The Pope has said that scientific progress must always serve to defend human dignity, calling on researchers and institutions to promote better living conditions for everyone, especially the most disadvantaged, according to Italian news agency ANSA.

The remarks continue a long-standing theme in Vatican teaching, which has repeatedly stressed that technological and scientific advancement should be guided by ethical considerations and directed toward the common good, rather than pursued purely for commercial or competitive advantage. Popes have addressed audiences of scientists, medical researchers and technology leaders on various occasions in recent years, often urging that innovations such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology and medical research be developed with attention to their social and moral consequences.

The emphasis on defending human dignity reflects core Catholic social teaching, which holds that every person possesses inherent worth that must be respected in economic, scientific and political life. The Vatican has periodically convened conferences and issued statements on the ethics of emerging technologies, engaging directly with scientific and technology communities on topics ranging from bioethics to digital innovation.

Further details of the specific occasion or audience to which the remarks were addressed were not fully specified in the report.