S1 E8 | What Does It Mean to Be Human?
Brave New Us: Choosing Human in the Age of Biotechnology
Over the course of this season, we’ve explored the science of changing our genetics, asking which characteristics we ought to change, and why. Who gets to decide? Left to our own devices, do we really understand what’s important about ourselves? If we use genetic editing to “improve” ourselves or our children, will it have the impact we think it will?Guests appearing in the episode: Shannon EvansShannon Evans is the author of Embracing Weakness: The Unlikely Secret to Changing the World, and writes the Everyday Ignatian column for Jesuits.org. Her passion is opening up deeper waters of contemplation so that our experience of the Divine grows further loving and curious rather than static and complacent. Shannon, her husband Eric, and their five children make their home in central Iowa. You can find Shannon at www.shannonkevans.com.Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, PhDFr. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P., is a Dominican priest and a professor at Providence College, RI. His areas of expertise are the biology of cancer, aging, and programmed cell death, health care ethics and bioethics in the Catholic tradition, and philosophical and theological implications of modern evolutionary theory.Special Thanks:Lauren Klingman, Mackenzie Kim“All Will Be Well” original track by Jessica Gerhardt (JessicaGerdardt.com).…For exclusive updates or to support the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at bravenewus.substack.com.
About Podcast
From gene editing and artificial wombs to brain implants and digital immortality—what does it mean to be human in a world trying to remake us?
Brave New Us explores how emerging technologies are reshaping what it means to be human. Hosted by Catholic bioethicist and author Samantha Stephenson, the podcast sits at the crossroads of faith, science, and ethics, featuring expert interviews and incisive commentary on biotechnology, AI, transhumanism, reproductive technologies, human enhancement, and the moral questions they raise.
Whether you're questioning the ethics of cutting-edge science, navigating a rapidly changing technological world, or simply seeking clarity in an age of unprecedented innovation, Brave New Us will help you think critically, live intentionally, and choose what is deeply human.
Samantha Stephenson holds master's degrees in theology and bioethics, served as a Paul Ramsey Fellow at the Center for Bioethics and Culture, and taught for the McGrath Institute at the University of Notre Dame. She is the author of several books helping readers grow in faith and navigate the spiritual and ethical questions shaping our rapidly changing world. In addition to hosting the Brave New Us podcast, Samantha writes the Choosing Human newsletter on Substack where she explores faith, family, and the future of being human. Learn more at www.snstephenson.com.
Subscribe now—and stay human in an age that’s forgetting how.