The Nature of a Human Person

The Human Person

Estañol (2007)
- The human person as having physical, spiritual, emotional and intellectual
attributes.

St. Thomas Aquinas

- The human person as having physical and spiritual substance because he/she has a
soul and is created by a Superior Being with a divine purpose.

Dictionaries
- the human person as a “self-conscious animal”.

Characteristics of a Human Person

1. A human person is a rational being.
2. A human person is born free.
3. A human person is unique.
4. Every person is intrinsically a social being and cannot detach himself/herself from other
creatures in the universe.
5. All living things are sexual by nature, but the uniqueness of expression of a person’s
emotions, attitudes,feelings, actions and thoughts in sexual activity best exemplifies his/her
uniqueness from animals.

Filipino values
- Refers to the set of values majorities of the Filipino have historically held important in their
lives. This Philippine value system includes their own unique assemblage of consistent
ideologies, moral code ethical practices, etiquette and values that are promoted by their
society.

1. Close to family ties

2. Bayanihan
3. Magalang (respectful)
4. Utang na loob (debt of gratitude)
5. Hospitable
6. Pakikisama

The Human Person in the Community

First and foremost, community is not a place, a building, or an organization; nor is it an
exchange of information over the Internet. Community is both a feeling and a set of
relationships among people. People form and maintain communities to meet common needs.
Members of a community have a sense of trust, belonging, safety, and caring for each other.
They have an individual and collective sense that they can, as part of that community,
influence their environments and each other. That treasured feeling of community comes from
shared experiences and a sense of not necessarily the actual experience of shared history. As a
result, people know who is and isn’t part of their community. This feeling is fundamental to
human existence.
Biblical Views
- The human person has superiority and dignity inherited from the Supreme Being.

Book Genesis, chapter 1, verses 26 to 27

- God created man and woman in His own image and likeness and made them masters of the
fish of the sea, the birds, the heaven, the earth, the wild beasts and all reptiles that crawl
upon the earth.
- Agbuya (1997) states that “ human person is designated by God to exercise dominion over
other creatures in his/her everyday use of freedom, search for happiness, and openness to the
world around him/her. And makes him/her human is his/her being a true person, which
includes the special gifts and talents of thinking, loving, longing for happiness, and making
decision. The human nature was patterned after the image of God.”

Philosophical Views

Protagoras
- A human person is the measure of all things that exist and of all things that do not exist.

Plato
- The perfect human being does not exist in this world because what is in this world is just an
imperfect copy of humanity’s original self in the realm of ideas.

Parmenides
- A person has knowledge of something that exists, for a person

Different Philosophical Views of a Human Person

Conservatism
- is not entirely positive and definitely not egalitarian
- some men contribute more than others to society, and, therefore, must be rewarded and
honored by the society.
- follows the Confucian ethical ideas which states that the superior man must rule and the
commoner must bow before his authority

Liberalism
- more egalitarian view of human nature
- all men are capable of rational action and have the capacity to livesatisfactory and
productive lives if given the opportunity
- According to Mencius, “Every human being can become a sage king, that is, anyone can
gain the wisdom to rule.”

Socialism
- readily engages in cooperative social activities when given the opportunity, unfortunately,
this natural cooperative instinct is not fostered when some people selfishly exploit the other
people
- Marx believes that man is driven primarily by desire for economic gain. He considers the
human person as a social animal.
Fascism
- what matters most is the country itself
- human being can only prosper if the country prospers

Classical Greek Views

- “a rational animal”
- needs the power of thought, reason, and cognition.

Sociological Views
- Human person are social animals
- The human person’s social behavior is learned
- Understand the human person’s social behavior
- Sociology is a discipline that looks into the totality of relationships in an individual’s life

Hierarchy of Needs

Physiological needs

These most basic human survival needs include food and water, sufficient rest, clothing
and shelter, overall health, and reproduction.

Safety needs

Next among the lower-level needs is safety. Safety needs include protection from violence
and theft, emotional stability and well-being, health security, and financial security.

Love and belonging needs

Among these needs are friendships and family bonds—both with biological family
(parents, siblings, children) and chosen family (spouses and partners). Physical and
emotional intimacy ranging from sexual relationships to intimate emotional bonds are
important to achieving a feeling of elevated kinship.

Esteem needs

The primary elements of esteem are self-respect (the belief that you are valuable and
deserving of dignity) and self-esteem (confidence in your potential for personal growth
and accomplishments).

Self-actualization needs

Self-actualization describes the fulfillment of your full potential as a person.