The Maquiling School, Inc.

Junior High School Department

College, Los Bańos Laguna

Values
Education 10
1st Quarter S.Y. 2020- 2021

MODULE 1: Rediscovering Intellect and Free Will

Lesson 1.1: The Human Intellect and Free Will
Lesson 1.2: Mindfulness

Name: ______________________________ LRN: __________________________

Grade Lever: _________ Class Code: ________ Date: ______________________
I. Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
1. Explain the intellect and free will
2. Evaluate own decision-making
3. Create decision in every situation
II. Subject matter
A. Unit 1: The Person as a Moral Being
B. Lesson 1: Rediscovering Intellect and Free Will
C. Reference: ARETE: Cultivating Filipino Values in the 21st Century

III. Lesson proper

Man is a free being. However, our freedom is not absolute because it is
anchored on man’s capacity to do what is right and good. When we commit acts
that hurt ourselves, other people and the world that which we live in, we are
actually missing our freedom. It is said that “a person’s freedom ends where
another person’s freedom begins.” This tells us that we are free, our actions must
not be the cause of another person’s pain or misery.

The Human Intellect and Free Will

Have you ever experienced a dilemma?
A dilemma is a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between
two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones. An example or a
person who is caught in a dilemma is one who is made to choose putting to death a
loved one who has an incurable sickness or in a vegetative state. One alternative is to
discontinue medication and cut the life support apparatus to end the sick person’s
suffering. The other option is to prolong the patient’s suffering while hoping for a cure.
Imagine if you were put in that difficult situation, will you choose to “pull the plug” or
allow your loved one to suffer for an indefinite period of time?
Although it is unlikely that all of us will face the aforementioned dilemma,
we do face “moments of decision” every day. As we go about our daily life, we are
put in a situation wherein we have to make a choice or a decision, act on it, and be
accountable for the consequences. Sometimes the choice is clear and simple. Perhaps
for young people who are studying, it is not really a difficult choice to wake up in the
morning, prepare for school, listen attentively to the teacher, do the school work, and
strive to attain good grades. However, there will be times when we will be made to
choose between two alternatives and make a difficult decision.
We have the mental faculty and capability to decide and come up with the
best and correct decision even though it may seem that we have very limited options
at that given moment. Our human intellect is more than capable to process problems
and come up with innovative solutions for them. The truth is, we human beings are
conscious, free, moral, rational, and capable of abstract thought. When we use our
human intellect well, we then continue to make not just correct decisions but morally
sound ones as well.
The philosopher Jean Paul Sartre claims that, “Man is condemned to be
free.” Undeniably, human beings have the mental faculty, capacity, and freedom to
make decisions.
The philosopher Robert Kane tells us that, “we have free will when we view
ourselves as agents capable of influencing the world in various ways. Open
alternatives, or alternative possibilities, seem to lie before us. We reason and
deliberate among them and choose.” However, our decisions have consequence that
we must face and accept.
 Valuing a Virtue: Mindfulness

• The philosopher Rene Descartes regarded the mind as “thinking thing.”

• The philosopher Franz Bertano sees beyond the mental activities of the mind and
explores its peculiar property: “The mind goes beyond just thinking; it constantly
seeks for objects to think about.”
• Our conscious is “intentional.” The term “intentional” refers to “the property of
being about something or of bringing some object into it as something to think
about.”

Uplifting Realizations
Our human intellect and free will go hand in hand so that we can analyze alternatives,
decide on the proper course of action, and take responsibility for the consequence of our
decisions. These are various ways in which we can practice our human intellect and free
will. Here are some of the possible ways:
• Always think before you speak.
• Spend time to reflect upon and ponder on issues that need thoughtful
consideration.
• If you are unsure of your assessment of things, find a person whom you trust and
believe to possess wisdom.
• Control yourself and rein in your emotions.
• Keep in mind that you are capable of making the appropriate choices and right
decision.
• Take responsibility for all your decisions whatever the outcome will be.

IV. Exercise
A. Column B consists of scrambled words. Form the correct answer and match them in
the given definition found in column A. Write your answer on the space provided.
Answer Column A Column B
1. It is a movement initiated around A. OTFOLABL
the globe for the purpose of giving
street children the protection and
opportunities to which all young
people are entitled.
2. Where does the First Street Child B. RBORTE EKAN
World Cup held?
3. What ball game did the C. HLIPNEPIISP
participants of the Street Child
World Cup play?
4. He is the team manager of the D. AJNE ULPA
team from the Philippines. RASRET
5. This team reached only the semi- E. OTSHU ARCFAI
finals stage but carried with them
the experience of a lifetime.
6. It is a situation in which a difficult F. EERN
choice has to be made between SRCADESET
two or more alternatives,
especially equally undesirable
ones.
7. He claims that “Man is condemned G. NAZRF RTNOBEA
to be free.”
 8. He tell us that “we have free will H. YRO OERMO
when we view ourselves as agents
capable of influencing the world in
various way.”
9. He regarded mind as a “thinking I. ETSERT ICLDH
thing”. RLDOW PUC
10. He sees beyond the mental J. MMDILAE
activities of the mind.

B. Consider your values and beliefs about the human intellect and free will and
describe it by making an acrostic using the letters that compose the phrase FREE
WILL.
My values and beliefs about human intellect and free will…

C. Read and analyze the following situation. Think of a possible and best solution for
it. Write it on the space provided.
Situation 1: You noticed that your friend is sad and gloomy. You find this odd
because she is the most intelligent in your batch, the president of the student
council, and is the captain of the school’s volleyball team. You approach her and
ask what seems to be her problem. She confides to you that a few days ago her
father become very ill and may not be able to provide anymore for the needs of
the family. Also, her prospects of pursuing a college degree is dim since her
mother hinted that she will need to find work and help her younger siblings finish
their studies. Based on our lesson on human intellect and free will, what advice can
you give to your friend?
 POSSIBLE SOLUTION 1:

POSSIBLE SOLUTION 2:

BEST SOLUTION:

Situation 2: Whenever your older sister gets hold of the newspaper, she always
looks at the horoscope page and zealously believes her zodiac sign’s prediction
for the day. Every weekend, she spends money on fortune teller to get her tarot
card read. She also consulted feng shui expert for her home location. She was
asked why she believes in horoscope, feng shui, and tarot cards and she explained
that everything that we do based on luck and already pre-determined. She uses
the horoscope, Feng shui, and tarot cards so she can make the right choices and
decisions and thus, prevent bad things from happening in her life. How can you
help your sister rediscover the significance of free will?

POSSIBLE SOLUTION 1:

POSSIBLE SOLUTION 2:

BEST SOLUTION: