The Human Person

2 Aspects of Morality

1. Human Person As Moral Agent (Subject)

2. Human Conduct ( Object)

 The Human Person

A. Biology

Man belongs to the Animal Kingdom

Man has an animal instincts

B. Bible

Man is Created in God’s image and

likeness
 Man Vs Animals
-Rational - ability to think -Follows Instincts
and know what is
right or wrong.

-Created in God Image -Created by God’s word

and likeness

-Endowed with spiritual -Soul dies with the body

soul
-Ability to smile and laugh -???????
▪Man’s ability to smile and laugh are
based on man’s rationality. Man does not
smile and laugh without any reason.

▪A man who smiles and laughs without

any reason is abnormal.
Morality deals only with actions
performed by man. Hence, man is
responsible of his actions as good
or bad.
Animals do not have morality, thus,
actions performed by animals are
not subject to Morality.
 The Christian Understanding
of the Human Person
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
teaches us that all human persons are:
a) created in God’s image and likeness
b) redeemed by the body and blood of Jesus Christ
c) sanctified by the indwelling Holy Spirit
d) and called to be children of God
e) destined for eternal life of blessed communion of
the Father, His Risen-Incarnate Son, and their
Holy Spirit .
1. The Human Person as Moral Agent

How does a Person become Human?

a. The human persons are open and relational

b. The human persons are conscious beings

c. The human persons are embodied spirit

d. The human persons are historical realities

e. The human persons are unique, yet

fundamentally equal
 1) The human persons are open
and relational

“It is not good for man to be alone”, thus,God created

a woman for man. He gave man a companion in
order for him not to be alone. Man can truly grow as
truly human in his relation “by others,” and “with
others.” As the saying goes: “No man is an island, no
man stands alone”, so no man can live by and for
himself.
 2) The human persons are
conscious beings

God created man with intelligence and freewill:

to obey His commandments with faith and
understanding. Man then is able to use his power of
reasoning to distinguish good from evil.

Man is conscious of his acts and is therefore

responsible for his action.
In order to be fully human, man as a conscious
being, must exercise his rationality in rejecting evil
and in choosing good according to God’s will and
commandments.
 3) The human persons are
embodied spirits
God breathed life into man with body and soul.
There is unity between the body and soul of man. It cannot
be dichotomized nor be separated from each other.

Our Lord Jesus Christ clearly demonstrates this in

His healing miracles; Christ does not only cure the body
from its infirmities. He also heals the soul from impurities
when He says: “Your sins are forgiven, go and sin no more.”

Sometimes, when the body is sick, it is because the

soul is also sick. For man to be fully human, both body
and soul must be nourished and sanctified through
obedience of God’s commandments and reception of
the Sacraments.
 4) The human persons are
historical realities

As a historical reality, man undergoes the basic stages of

human growth and development. That is why God has not revealed
himself to man at single instance but patiently waited man to have
full understanding of the economy of salvation as it was unfolded in
the Old Testament and New Testament. God revealed Himself to
man according the latter’s capacity of understanding, in “age and
wisdom.”

Man’s fullness of his being human also progresses as he

continues his journey, like a pilgrim on his way to the Promised Land.
He may stumble and fall along the way, but man has the capacity to
stand up and continue his journey. Man cannot be stagnant. There
is always room for change, growth and development.
 5) The human persons are unique,
yet fundamentally equal
As a human person, man is unique and distinct from each
other. No twin is identical actually. Man’s uniqueness is
manifested in not only each man’s physical differences but also
man’s attitude, character, talent, intellectual and moral capacities.

Nevertheless, in spite of these differences, all men are

fundamental equal when it comes to human dignity, a dignity
which comes not from what a person “has” but what a person
“is”, as created in God’s image and liken

To be fully human, man needs to recognize the unique

identity of each person, yet at the same time respecting the
equality of all men, i.e., created in God’s image and likeness, who
have the same divine calling to be in union with God.