Man is objectively a “somebody”—and this distinguishes him from the rest of the beings of the visible world, the beings that objectively are always merely “something.” This simple, elementary distinction conceals a deep abyss that divides the world of persons from the world of things. The objective world, to which we belong, consists of persons and things. A thing is customarily considered a being that is deprived not only of reason, but also of life; a thing is an inanimate object. We will hesitate