Acton Unwind

Lia Thomas and the nature of the human person

Mar 21, 2022

01:02:20

Today, Eric Kohn, Sam Gregg, and Dan Hugger discuss the controversy surrounding Lia Thomas, the transgender swimmer on the women’s swim team at the University of Pennsylvania, who just recently took home the NCAA Division I national championship in the women's 500-yard freestyle. What questions does this raise about the nature of the human person, and to what extent has that anthropological question gone unexamined and ignored by the people and institutions surrounding this story? Then the gang examines Pope Francis’ comments from last week that “wars are always unjust.” What is the church’s just war theory, and what did the pope mean by his comments? And finally, the guys answer the first listener question with some book recommendations to acquaint you with how they see the world.

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Watching Lia Thomas Win | Common Sense

‘I Am Lia’: The Trans Swimmer Dividing America Tells Her Story | Sports Illustrated

‘Just war’ no more? What did Pope Francis say, and what does it mean? | The Pillar

Listener-question book recommendations:

Sam:

Treatise on Law | St. Thomas Aquinas

Natural Law and Natural Rights | John Finnis

The Wealth of Nations | Adam Smith

Dan:

Centesimus Annus (1 May 1991) | John Paul II

The Humane Economist: A Wilhelm Röpke Reader | Wilhelm Röpke (Author), Daniel J. Hugger (Editor)