Alumnus Fr. Michael Baggot, LC ’07 was recently featured on the popular Pints with Aquinas podcast, speaking with host Matt Fradd on “Transhumanism and Emerging Technologies.” Fr. Baggot, who is a chaplain for Christendom’s Junior Semester in Rome, spoke at length on the philosophies that underpin transhumanism with Fradd, digging into who the leading thinkers are in the movement and more.
Fr. Baggot, who is also an Assistant Professor of Bioethics at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, joined Pints with Aquinas on Tuesday, February 6, to discuss this important topic and its implications in the world today. Transhumanism, according to Fr. Baggot, is the position that human beings should be permitted to use technology to modify and enhance human cognition and bodily function — a belief that only continues to become more widespread. Fr. Baggot pulled from his extensive background in bioethics and Catholic tradition during the discussion, showing how Catholics should react to this growing movement in today’s society.
Fr. Baggot, who was ordained in 2017, has worked as the Correspondent of the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics since 2011, during which time he has penned articles for the organization’s website and for the scholarly journal Studia Bioethica. In 2015, he began contributing to the journal of religion and public life First Things. Fr. Baggot has been a professor at Pontifical University Regina Apostolorum since 2016 and has taught for Christendom’s Junior Semester in Rome as well. Fr. Baggot is also an editor of the book Enhancement Fit for Humanity: Perspectives on Emerging Technologies, which explores what constitutes an enhancement fit for humanity in the age of nanotechnologies, biotechnologies, information technologies, and technologies related to the cognitive sciences.
Pints with Aquinas is one of the most popular religion podcasts in the world, with host Matt Fradd interviewing a variety of Catholic intellectuals each week in a longform discussion.
Listen to the full podcast here.
