It may be in everyone's interest to take a step back from the debate sparked by Daniel Amiri's thought-provoking Letter to the Editor on human nature ("Encourage chastity, not 'free talk,'" Nov. 21), and in true Catholic fashion treat it on a universal scale.
That being established, and with all due respect to Pope John Paul II, I must assert that his words should be taken within the framework of Christian philosophy. If I may be so bold as to use a decidedly non-religious source, I humbly submit this quote from Wikipedia.org for the consideration of all interested parties: "Humans, or human beings, are bipedal apes belonging to the mammalian species Homo sapiens (Latin for 'wise man' or 'knowing man') under the family Hominidae (known as the great apes)."
My reflection upon this passage is that while we possess the mental capacity to reflect and improve upon our spiritual nature, we should not neither deny nor debase the animal nature we also possess.
Nikki Huiras
junior
off campus
Dec. 1
