Every thought and every insight arises from a sense of wonder. For Karol Wojtyla / John Paul II (1920-2005), this origin was humanity. He stated that his philosophical work was "born from wonder at the human being." From the first to the last page, his writings revolve around humanity - in the uniqueness of its existence, in the singularity of its origin, and in the irreplaceability of its task and goal. The philosophical essays in this volume, almost all appearing in German for the first time, aim to introduce readers to the foundational thoughts of the Pope. They invite us to understand Karol Wojtyla's thinking from its roots of wonder - and to explore his fundamental question: Who is the human being? Key texts on humanity, the main theme of John Paul II, are presented here, almost all for the first time.