DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

REGION III
Schools Division of Cabanatuan City
Maharlika Highway, Cabanatuan City

The Human Person and Freedom

Introduction to the Philosophy of

the Human Person

12
SHS
 GUIDE FOR THE LEARNER, PARENTS,
GUARDIANS AND LEARNING FACILITATOR

To You, Learner:
Welcome to Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person Self-Learning Module (SLM) on
the meaning and process of doing philosophy.
This module introduces the learners to the study of Philosophy as an exploration of the fundamental
questions an \d issues that have faced humanity. It aims to help learners better understand themselves and
the world they live in and enable them to navigate through the challenges of life.
To You, Parent/s, Guardian/s and Learning Facilitator/s:
This Module was collaboratively developed and reviewed by the teachers, school heads and
supervisors of DepEd Division of Cabanatuan City to assist you in helping the learners meet the standards
set by the K to 12 Curriculum while overcoming their different constraints in schooling. As a facilitator, you
are expected to orient the learners on how to use this module. You also need to keep track of the learners'
progress while allowing them to manage their own learning. Furthermore, you are expected to encourage
and assist the learners as they do the tasks included in the module.
This Module provides varied and relevant activities and opportunities to help you in understanding
of the key concepts and competencies as prescribed in the introduction to the Philosophy of the Human
Person
Explore and get to know the processes involved in understanding the issues, concepts and topics
about the human person that will enable you to understand yourself better.

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 OBJECTIVES

At the end of the session, the learner should be able to:

1. Discern the essence of true freedom

2. Discuss moral responsibility and accountability in their exercise of freedom
3. Realize that all actions have consequences
4. Evaluate the exercise of prudence in making choices
5. Realize that choices have consequences, and some things are given up while other are obtained in
making choices
6. Show situations that demonstrate freedom of choice and the consequences of choices

COMPETENCY

5.1 Evaluate and exercise prudence in choices

5.2 Realize that:
a..Choices have consequences, and
b.Some things are given up while other are obtained in making choices
5.3 Show situations that demonstrate freedom of choice.

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 WHAT DO YOU ALREADY KNOW?

Direction: Read each question carefully and encircle the letter that corresponds to the best
answer.

1. What branch of philosophy deals with the wrongness and goodness of an act?
a. Ethics b. Logic c. Epistemology d. Metaphysics

2. Which of the following pertains to the goodness of a choice after thorough examination of its elements?
a. Moral b. Immoral c. Amoral d. None of the choices

3. Which of the following pertains to the wrongness of a choice after thorough examination of its elements?
a. Moral b. Immoral c. Amoral d. None of the choices

4. Which of the following pertains to of a choice which cannot be considered good and bad after a thorough
examination of its elements?
a. Moral b. Immoral c. Amoral d. None of the choices

6. Which of the following is true about freedom?

a. Freedom is not absolute c. Freedom requires free will
b. Freedom is not irresponsible d. All of the choices

6. Which pertains to the sum total of that which is beneficial to everyone belonging in a community?
a. Common Good c. Some Good
b. All Good d. Few Good

7. Which is meant by “ one who has charge of society” in the definition of law?
a. Authority c. Morality
b. Freedom d. Law

8. Which pertains to the rational participation to man into God’s mind?

a. Divine Law c. Political Law
b. Religious Law d. Natural Law

9. Which pertains to the laws that govern the conduct of men to maintain peace and order?
a. Divine Law c. Political Law
b. Religious Law d. Natural Law

10. Which pertains to the laws that govern the spiritual conduct of men?
a. Divine Law c. Political Law
b. Religious Law d. Natural Law

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 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The Human Person’s Freedom

Freedom is the ability to choose between two alternative options. Freedom is not absolute, meaning
one cannot do whatever he/she pleases whenever he/she likes to do something. Your freedom ends where
the other person’s freedom begins. You cannot do whatever you want to do. It is important to respect and
remind yourself of other people’ freedom whenever you do something. When you respect the right of other
people to live, you will not do something that is unnecessary such as causing the end of their life and in return
they should also consider this respect towards your life. There is an interconnection between the freedoms
that exist among individuals. Freedom to do whatever one pleases, whenever he/she wishes is a misconception.
Human beings are governed by existing laws to make sure that everyone else follows a system of living where
accountability for one’s action is a must.

Freedom is an intrinsic and essential property of the human person. This means that the human person by
nature is a free being and that it is in his or her nature to seek freedom. An important indication of human
freedom is the ability to make choices and perform actions. Our freedom to act sets us apart from other beings.
Only human beings are capable of making deliberate choices. The Human person has the ability to choose the
course of his/her action depending on the need of the situation. Freedom is rooted in the human person’s
ability to exercise through the use of his intellect and free will (ability to freely choose). Freedom is experienced
through the act of making choices.

Kinds of Freedom

a) Physical Freedom- it refers to the absence of any physical constraint. The person has the freedom of
mobility to go where he/she wants to go. He or she is not impeded in his/her actions by any physical
force. Granted that the person has natural limitations, physical freedom allows him/her to act and move
in a determined manner. You cannot be everywhere at once, but your freedom allows you to move
from one place to another and to go whenever you want to go.

b) Psychological freedom – freedom of choice. The person Is free to perform actions that he/she considers
right and wise. A person is also free to act or not to act. Psychological freedom is innate and cannot be
denied a person. No outside force or influence can compel a person to take action against his or her
will.

c) Moral freedom- refers to using the freedom in a manner that upholds human dignity and goodness.
Freedom is not an object that a person may use in whatever way he/she pleases. A person must use his
or her freedom to grow as a person. A person becomes freer when he or she uses freedom well, but
becomes less free when he or she uses it in a bad way. Humans have a natural inclination for what is
true and good and when a person uses his or her freedom to do acts that violate human dignity and
goodness, he or she dehumanizes himself or herself and effectively negates human freedom.

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 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Law and Freedom

In order for everyone to obey and respect the inherent freedom of every human beings each of their
actions are governed by what we call “law”. Laws are guiding principles that governs the every conduct of each
human being. Laws are necessary to man because they regulate human activity. Without laws, there will surely be
chaos, since everyone will be acting in accordance to what one wishes without regard for the common good.

According to St. Thomas Aquinas, law is an ordinance of reason, promulgated for the common good by
one who has charge of society. A law is a rational deliberation intended to guide men towards what is good for
them and for society. It is promulgate, meaning it is made known to the people who are bound to observe them.
It can only be valid, if the law if implemented by the legitimate authority. It must promote the common good- that
which is beneficial to all, if not most of the people. A law may have its good and bad side, hence, the need for
people to safeguard its validity in promoting the common good.

The four types of laws

 Eternal Law- the eternal law is the ideal type or order of the universe preexisting in the mind of God.
Imagine that God is like a divine architect who must plan a structure before it is built. If you look around
you and reflect, you see that the universe has some kind of order. The planets do not collide with one
another, the growth of a child in a mother’s womb follows a systematic order, and the parts of your body
are systematically put in place together.

 Natural Law- it is the rational creature’s participation of the eternal law. It is participation of the human
in the eternal law, and the first principle of natural law- the discernment or knowledge of good and evil.
The human being has the ability to choose between to alternative options, and his orientation is always
towards what is good.

 Human Law- it is a dictate of practical reason. These are the laws that govern the conduct of man in
everyday life. These are the guiding principles that are agreed upon by human beings to safeguard their
inherent rights to life, liberty, education and the likes. There is a certain kind of agreement between people
to respect these laws to maintain peace and order among themselves.

 Divine Law- the divine law is basically the will of God revealed in the Scriptures of the Old and New
Testaments. These laws act as the source of moral principles that will guide the everyday conduct of each
human person. An example of this is the 10 commandments handed over to Moses.

 Political Laws-these laws are enacted by men to guide their actuations in society and I relation to one
another. They regulate man’s external actions. Its objective is peace and order and material prosperity.
Violation of these laws will lead into serious consequences.

Freedom and Morality

Ethics deals with morality of human acts (rightness and wrongness of an action. As we interact with
people, human society, we make judgments based on what is good or bad regarding an action and we say
statements like; “What he did is right.”, “Your action is unreasonable, “Your behavior is rude”. While there are
different criteria to determine the rightfulness or wrongness of an act, we all agree that there are acts that we
consider good and bad. The question is “How do we determine whether the action is good or bad?”, this will be
the focus of the discussion on this part of the lesson.
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 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

There are two actions of the human person in relation to what he/she does. One is “Acts of Man”, these are
the acts of man that he does not control, it happens involuntarily, and they are what we call psychological and
metabolic processes. One cannot control his heartbeat patterns, digestion and intrinsic bodily movements such as
blood flow. The acts of ma are not covered by morality, since they are involuntary. What is covered by the
ethics/morality is what we call “Human Acts”, these are the products of the deliberate free will of man. Human acts
may be internal or external, performed by a human being. These are the actions deliberately performed by human
beings. He/she has control over Human acts. They are covered by morality.

Essential Elements of Human Acts

1. Knowledge- a human person performs an act in which he is aware and knowledgeable. The person is
conscious and knows what he/she plans to do and is doing, the moment it is being done. On the part of the
human person, there is a complete awareness of the action deliberately done.

2. Freedom- the action of the human person must completely be done on his/her own will. The human person
made a choice, or is making a choice to perform the act that he/she plans to commit. The choice is made
without any restrictions.

3. Voluntariness- the action must be done without any control. The act of the human person must be a product
of his her own choices. It must be done intentionally by the one who is doing the act.

The Determinants of Morality

1) The act in itself- this pertains into what is being done, what has been done or what being planned to be done.
2) The motive of an act- the purpose of the doer of an act or the intention why the act is being done.
3) Circumstance of the act- refers to the event of an act which occur in a definite time and place and
accompanied by certain elements which can contribute to the nature and the accountability of such an act. It
adds up or lessens the moral accountability of the doer of the action.

When an action is in accordance with the elements of the human act and is considered bad after its investigation, the
judgment is called “Moral”. When an action is not in accordance with the elements of the human act and is considered
bad after its investigation, the judgment is called “Immoral”. When an action is not yet clearly determined and the
elements of the human act is not yet clear and is being investigated, the judgment is called “Amoral.”.

Factors that lessens the Accountability in a Human Act

a) Ignorance- it is the absence of knowledge. When one is not knowledgeable about what he/she is the
accountability becomes lesser.
b) Fear- when one acts out of fear, the freedom of the human person is limited and the responsibility lessens.
c) Violence- when there is an external pressure put upon a person by the use of force to do something that is
against the will of the doer of the actin.

“The greater the knowledge and the freedom, the greater the voluntariness and the moral responsibility”

One must always exercise prudence in whatever he/she does. Prudence is knowing and doing the right thing at the
right time, at the right moment. One must always take into consideration the outcome of his/her actions in relation
to his/her own and to other people.

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 WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

Direction: Read each question carefully and encircle the letter that corresponds to the best
answer.

1. What branch of philosophy deals with the wrongness and goodness of an act?
a. Ethics b. Logic c. Epistemology d. Metaphysics

2. Which of the following pertains to the goodness of a choice after thorough examination of its elements?
a. Moral b. Immoral c. Amoral d. None of the choices

3. Which of the following pertains to the wrongness of a choice after thorough examination of its elements?
a. Moral b. Immoral c. Amoral d. None of the choices

4. Which of the following pertains to of a choice which cannot be considered good and bad after a thorough
examination of its elements?
a. Moral b. Immoral c. Amoral d. None of the choices

5. Which of the following is true about freedom?

a. Freedom is not absolute c. Freedom requires free will
b. Freedom is not irresponsible d. All of the choices

6. Which pertains to the sum total of that which is beneficial to everyone belonging in a community?
a. Common Good c. Some Good
b. All Good d. Few Good

7. Which is meant by “ one who has charge of society” in the definition of law?
a. Authority c. Morality
b. Freedom d. Law

8. Which pertains to the rational participation to man into God’s mind?

a. Divine Law c. Political Law
b. Religious Law d. Natural Law

9. Which pertains to the laws that govern the conduct of men to maintain peace and order?
a. Divine Law c. Political Law
b. Religious Law d. Natural Law

10. Which pertains to the laws that govern the spiritual conduct of men?
a. Divine Law c. Political Law
b. Religious Law d. Natural Law

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 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY 1

Answer the following questions in relation to the concepts that you have learned

1. What is the importance of knowing the morality of an act before making a choice?
Create an illustration of who you are as a human person expressing your capacity to think and reflect.
Provide an explanation for the illustration that you have created.

2. Does the morality of the human act limit the freedom of the human person? Explain your answer.

3. How is freedom related into the morality of an act? Explain your answer.

4. Is it possible for an act to be good even if the method in which it is done is not?

5. How can you assure that you are exercising responsible freedom ?

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 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY 2

Using the rectangular shapes below, write down five things that you have done in the past where you
have exercised your freedom. Reflect on the actions that you have done. Are they good or bad? Explain
your answer in the line provided in each rectangular shapes

1.

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________

2.

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________

3.

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________

4.

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________
5.

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________

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 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY 3

Evaluate each of the acts provided under the aspect of Human Act and provide the necessary
information under the part of the determinants of morality. On the “Action” part identify whether
the action is moral, immoral or amoral. Refer to the lesson for your guidance

DETERMINANTS OF MORALITY
HUMAN ACT ACTION INTENTION CIRCUMSTANCES

Cheating on examination
because one was unable to
review the lessons
Giving alms to feed the hungry

Cutting classes to see

boyfriend/girlfriend

Bullying to gain popularity

Studying to make parents

proud

Answer the following questions:

1. Is it possible for a person to do something without really expecting something in return?

2. Is an action possible without any intention or motive for doing the particular act? Explain your answer.

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 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY 4

Answer the following questions:

1. Why do you need to follow the laws agreed upon by people?

2. Why do you need to consider other people in exercising your very own freedom?

3. Why is there a need for an authority in terms of exercising freedom and following laws?

4. How can you make sure that the outcome of your actions are good, relevant and beneficial to the
common good?

5. Can a person be free and not exercising his/her ability to be free? Explain your answer.

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 ANWER KEYS

10.b 10.b
9.c 9.c
8.d 8.d
7.a 7.a
6.a 6.a
5.d 5.d
4.c 4.c
3.b 3.b
2. a 2. a
1. a 1. a
What do you already know? What have you learned?

Enrichment Activity 3

DETERMINANTS OF MORALITY
HUMAN ACT ACTION INTENTION CIRCUMSTANCES
Cheating on examination BAD TO PASS UNABLE TO REVIEW

Giving alms to feed the GOOD FEED THE HUNGRY TO THE HUNGRY
hungry
Cutting classes to see BAD SEEING DURING CLASSES
boyfriend/girlfriend BOYFRIEND/GIRLF
RIEND
Bullying to gain popularity BAD GAIN POPULARITY MAKING FUN OF OTHER
PEOPLE
GOOD MAKING PARENTS TO BRING JOY TO PARENTS
Studying to make parents PROUD
proud

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 REFERENCES

Books

1. Abella, Roberto (2016). Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon City. C & E
Publishing, Inc.
2. Zulueta, Francisco (2010) Introduction to Philosophy. Mandaluyong city.ational Bookstore Publishing.
3. Bernardo Jr., Juanito Philip Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Pssay City. JFS Publishing
Services
4. Bill Long (2005).Understanding the essence and Various Kinds of Law. Retrieved
from”http://www.drbilllong.com/Jursiprudence/AqII.html]
5. Festin, Lorenz (2010). Course Notes in phenomenology: Philosophical Anthropology. Makati City

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 This Module will lead you in understanding key concepts about the human person, enabling you to come
up with answers in underlying fundamental questions about the self, the world and God.
This self-learning module focuses on understanding the meaning and the process of doing philosophy
through various philosophical methods.
Our study of philosophy aims to produce well-adjusted, productive individuals who are able to face the
opportunities and challenges of life, successfully, and maintain a healthy relationship with others. May you find
joy and peace as you learn to get to know yourself in relation to others, to your surroundings and to God.

The Human Person and Freedom

Written and Compiled by: Cesario Junior S. Villaric

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Region 3
Division of Cabanatuan City
Curriculum Implementation Division (CID)
Learning Resource Management and Development System (LRMDS)
This self-learning module (SLM) is developed by the SDO Cabanatuan City CID-LRMDS Team under Project
EL AR: Enhanced Learning thru Adequate 15 Resources.
Cover and page elements illustrations by Carl Jan B. Briones. Project EL AR logo by Gemmarie G. Rivas