Brave New Us: Choosing Human in the Age of Biotechnology

Samantha N Stephenson
  • 5,0 (51)
  • Христианство

From gene editing and artificial wombs to brain implants and digital immortality—what does it mean to be human in a world transformed by biotechnology? Brave New Us explores how emerging technologies are reshaping life, identity, and morality. Hosted by Catholic bioethicist and author Samantha Stephenson, the podcast sits at the crossroads of faith, science, and ethics, offering expert interviews and incisive commentary on topics like transhumanism, reproductive tech, AI, human enhancement, and the pro-life implications of biotech innovation. Whether you’re parenting in a digital age, questioning the ethics of cutting-edge science, or simply seeking clarity in a world rushing toward transhumanism, Brave New Us gives you the insight to think critically, live intentionally, and stay human in a world seeking to redesign us. Samantha holds master’s degrees in theology and bioethics, is a Paul Ramsey Fellow at the Center for Bioethics and Culture, and a former course instructor at Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute. She is the author of several books and writes about faith, family, and the future of being human at the Choosing Human newsletter on Substack. Connect at www.snstephenson.com. Subscribe now—and stay human in an age that’s forgetting how.

  1. -4 ч

    BONUS: Should Catholics Trust AI?

    Artificial intelligence is changing how we search for information, write, create, learn, and even pray. But what happens when AI enters the life of the Church? In this episode of Brave New Us, Samantha Stephenson sits down with Tim, creator of Chatechism, one of the most ambitious Catholic AI projects to date. Together they explore not only what AI can do for Catholics, but also where it should—and shouldn't—go. Rather than offering easy answers, this conversation wrestles honestly with some of the biggest questions facing the Church in the age of artificial intelligence: Can an AI ever be trusted with spiritual guidance? What responsibilities do Catholic developers have toward truth, ecology, and the common good? Should AI help write homilies or daily reflections? And what might faithful innovation actually look like? Whether you're excited about AI, deeply skeptical, or somewhere in between, this episode offers a thoughtful Catholic framework for engaging one of the defining technologies of our time. In this episode: Why Catholics shouldn't simply fear artificial intelligence—or embrace it uncritically. How large language models actually work, and why hallucinations remain one of their biggest limitations. Why Chatechism was created and the vision behind building a distinctly Catholic AI. What makes a trustworthy Catholic AI different from a generic chatbot trained on religious content. The ethical responsibilities of Catholic AI developers, including concerns about bias, reliability, environmental costs, and cooperation with morally problematic technology companies. How one Catholic family is navigating AI with children of every age—from toddlers to adults. The risks AI poses to education, creativity, and authentic human formation. Whether AI-generated spiritual reflections and homilies enrich the Church—or risk displacing the unique work of the Holy Spirit through human authors, pastors, and communities. Why Catholics need to help shape the future of artificial intelligence instead of watching from the sidelines. Tim's answer to the Brave New Us closing question: Who best embodies what it means to be truly human? Resources Mentioned Chatechism Download the app Use promo code BRAVENEWUS for a month of full features for FREE For more, check out Samantha’s article “Can AI Be Redeemed?” Connect with Samantha If you enjoy thoughtful conversations about biotechnology, artificial intelligence, faith, and what it means to remain deeply human in an age of rapid technological change, subscribe to Brave New Us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also find Samantha's writing at Choosing Human, where she explores bioethics, motherhood, technology, and Christian anthropology.

    1 ч. 3 мин.

  2. 1 мая

    Season FINALE: Touching Grass, Or Why I Gave Up My Homestead Dream

    What if the answer isn’t escaping modern life, but learning to inhabit it differently? In this season finale, Samantha reflects on her own attraction to the homestead ideal — and why she ultimately reconsidered what it means to live sustainably, faithfully, and attentively in the place God has already given her. This episode marks the beginning of a summer pause for Brave New Us and an invitation to continue the conversation through gardening, stewardship, and cultivation on YouTube. In this episode: The appeal and limits of the homestead dream Stewardship versus escape Gardening as an embodied spiritual practice An invitation to grow where you’re planted Summer Update:Brave New Us will return after a seasonal break. In the meantime, join Samantha on YouTube for garden stories, practical growing, and reflections on embodiment, limits, and care for creation. Buy the book: Grow Where You’re Planted: Reclaming Eden in Your Own Backyard YouTube

    22 мин.

  3. 17 апр.

    Your Uterus or Mine? How Transplantation Is Changing the Face of Reproductive Medicine | Dr. Andrew Kubick

    Medical breakthroughs often arrive faster than our moral vocabulary can keep up. Samantha speaks with Andrew Kubick of the National Catholic Bioethics Center about uterine transplantation — from its therapeutic promise for women experiencing infertility to the profound ethical questions raised as reproductive technology expands toward increasingly experimental possibilities. When medicine gains the power not only to heal but to redesign reproduction, how should we think about human dignity, motherhood, and the meaning of the body itself? In this episode: The science and ethics of uterine transplants Therapeutic medicine vs. technological expansion Bioethics and Catholic moral reasoning The cultural implications of redefining reproduction Buy the book: Transplanting the Womb Subscribe to the newsletter!

    58 мин.

  4. 3 апр.

    Made Good: Making Peace with the Body (with a Catholic Nutritionist)

    What if health begins not with control, but with trust? Samantha speaks with a Catholic nutritionist about holistic health, women’s metabolism, and the growing desire to step out of cycles of restriction and anxiety surrounding food and wellness. Together they explore how Christian anthropology offers a different starting point for health: the body as created good, meaningful, and worthy of care rather than suspicion. In this episode: Holistic health and the limits of modern wellness culture Women’s health, metabolism, and stress Faith and nutrition Learning to cooperate with the body instead of fighting it Buy the Book: Made Good Subscribe to the newsletter!

    1 ч. 2 мин.

  5. 20 мар.

    Disembodiment — Or Something Else?

    Modern culture is often described as disembodied — detached from physical reality and increasingly virtual. But is that diagnosis accurate? In this episode, Samantha responds to arguments about “disembodiment,” proposing instead that modern life has produced a cluster of bodily effects: heightened anxiety about health, constant self-monitoring, and confusion about what the body means or how it should be understood. Rather than abandoning the body, we may be struggling to interpret it. In this episode: A response to Helen Roy’s argument on disembodiment Why modern people are hyper-focused on their bodies rather than detached from them Technology, medicine, and the loss of bodily intelligibility How diagnosing the problem shapes the path toward healing Subscribe to the newsletter!

    18 мин.

  6. 6 мар.

    Infertile. Now What? | Leigh Snead

    Infertility is often treated as a medical problem waiting for a solution. But for many women, the deeper questions begin after diagnosis. Samantha speaks with Leigh Snead, author of Infertile but Fruitful, about the emotional, spiritual, and relational realities of infertility — and the challenge of understanding the meaning of spiritual motherhood when life unfolds differently than expected. Together they explore how faith reframes suffering, vocation, and hope without reducing them to easy answers. In this episode: The lived experience of infertility beyond clinical language Marriage, identity, and waiting Christian understandings of fruitfulness Finding meaning when life diverges from long-held expectations Buy the book: Infertile But Fruitful Subscribe to the newsletter!

    45 мин.

  7. 20 февр.

    Change the Language, Change the Culture

    Language does more than describe reality. Over time, it teaches us how to see it. In this episode of Brave New Us, Samantha shares a reading and reflection connected to her spiritual fiction project, The Bellbind Letters, exploring how cultural change often begins not with laws or technologies, but with shifts in vocabulary — especially around the body, femininity, and identity. What happens when familiar words slowly take on new meanings? And how does language shape the way a society understands what it means to be human? This episode opens a larger season-long conversation about embodiment, fertility, health, and the search for a more grounded way of living in a technological age. In this episode: How language quietly reshapes culture Why debates about the body are often linguistic before they are political Fiction as a tool for cultural and moral imagination Setting the stage for conversations on infertility, health, and embodied life Buy the book: The Bellbind Letters Subscribe to the newsletter!

    15 мин.

  8. 9 янв.

    Reject and Inject: Why Cosmetic Procedures Aren’t Just Skin Deep

    In a culture that normalizes medical means for non-medical problems, where do we draw the line in the pursuit of beauty? In This Episode We explore the ethics of cosmetic procedures—from “baby Botox” and fillers to plastic surgery—and what they communicate about our bodies, our worth, and our deepest desires. Through the story of “Katie” and reflections from Theology of the Body, we ask: Does altering a healthy body help us love ourselves…or teach us to reject the gift we’ve been given? Is cosmetic “enhancement” actually making women more confident, or more insecure? How do we distinguish healing therapies from enhancements driven by cultural pressure? What does aging reveal about love, humility, and what lasts forever? Mentioned & Linked in This Episode Essay: Reject and Inject: The Ethics of Cosmetic Procedures Concepts from Theology of the Body (St. John Paul II) Reflections inspired by the life of Servant of God Chiara Corbella Petrillo Cultural trends: “Sephora kids,” filters, and beauty consumerism Resources from Samantha Brave New Us podcast back catalog Essays on biotechnology, beauty culture, and being human at choosinghuman.org Subscribe to the newsletter For essays, link roundups, and book updates. Grow Where You’re Planted — preorder bonuses include a downloadable list of favorite non-toxic products Join the Conversation Have thoughts on this episode or beauty culture? Join the discussion at choosinghuman.org. If this episode resonated with you, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts—it helps others find the show.

    16 мин.
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From gene editing and artificial wombs to brain implants and digital immortality—what does it mean to be human in a world transformed by biotechnology? Brave New Us explores how emerging technologies are reshaping life, identity, and morality. Hosted by Catholic bioethicist and author Samantha Stephenson, the podcast sits at the crossroads of faith, science, and ethics, offering expert interviews and incisive commentary on topics like transhumanism, reproductive tech, AI, human enhancement, and the pro-life implications of biotech innovation. Whether you’re parenting in a digital age, questioning the ethics of cutting-edge science, or simply seeking clarity in a world rushing toward transhumanism, Brave New Us gives you the insight to think critically, live intentionally, and stay human in a world seeking to redesign us. Samantha holds master’s degrees in theology and bioethics, is a Paul Ramsey Fellow at the Center for Bioethics and Culture, and a former course instructor at Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute. She is the author of several books and writes about faith, family, and the future of being human at the Choosing Human newsletter on Substack. Connect at www.snstephenson.com. Subscribe now—and stay human in an age that’s forgetting how.

Информация

  • Автор
    Samantha N Stephenson
  • Годы выхода
    2020 - 2026
  • Выпуски
    51
  • Ограничения
    Без ненормативной лексики
  • Авторские права
    © @ Samantha N Stephenson
  • Сайт подкаста
    Brave New Us: Choosing Human in the Age of Biotechnology

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