Introduction to

Philosophy of the
Human Person
Quarter 2 – Module 3:
Human Person and Society
 What I Need to Know

Men -- by their nature – are political animals. This ancient saying of Aristotle has
never lose its appeal. Perhaps the reason is that despite the long course it traversed
in the history, it still capsulizes one of the essential elements of human nature –
human’s endowed innateness to gather themselves and create a community where
they share their commonalities and fix differences.

In this module, learners will understand how individuals form societies and, in turn,
how does society transform them. Importantly, learners will be able to explain how
human relations are transformed by social systems.

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master
the different philosophical concepts of about human freedom, and thereafter examine
the its relationship with responsibility. The scope of this module permits it to be used
in many different learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse
vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard
sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be changed to
correspond with the textbook you are now using.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. identify the different types of society;
2. differentiate their qualities;
3. explain digital society and digital citizenship;
4. identify the effects of being a member of digital society.

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 What I Know

Learning Task No 1. Before delving into the discussion, learners must fill
out the table below about the things they have learned from society and their
contributions to it:

Things you learned How did you learn Impact on you

from society them?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Things you have How did you share Impact on Society

contributed to society them to the
community?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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 What’s In

Learning Task 1: Essay. Read the following situations below and answer the
questions thereafter. In answering the questions try to appreciate the situations
using the social norms you remember.

Situation Number 1: A Very good friend of yours visits you and your
family in your house. Your mother who was delighted by her presence
cooks her best dish for your friend. Your friend loved the whole lunch that
she kept complementing your mother for being such a good cook. At the
end of her visit, she expresses her gratitude to the whole family. Before she
leaves, she approaches your mother and asks, “how much do I pay you for
the lunch you cooked for me? (Ariely, 2010)

Situation Number 2: You are going through a very rough time. You feel so
down that you need some one to talk to, you send a text message to your
friend asking her if she could come over to make you feel better. Your
friend gives you a call then tells you she will be there in 20 minutes. You
are so happy to see her; you gave her a big hug and then pour your heart
out. After crying to her for 30 minutes, she gives comforting piece of
advice. You finally say that you feel so much better. Your friend then says,
“That’s good to know, now that we’re done, could we settle my expenses for
this – 20 pesos for the phone call, 35 pesos for the tricycle ride going here,
20 pesos for the tissue paper your drew from my pocket and 500 pesos for
the time I lost to working productivity because I had to come here.
Thanks!”

Questions:

1. Is there something wrong with the friend’s response to your

mother’s hospitality?

2. Is there something problematic about your friend asking for

payment for her loving presence?

3. What makes these two reactions awkward for you?

4. By making a reference to the society where you belong, what is

your initial response upon reading the situations?

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 What’s New

Learning Task 3: Picture Analysis: Learners must analyze the pictures below by
answering the questions following each of them. In this instance, learners must presume
the prevailing thinking and even priorities during those times and guess what makes them
transformed.

Picture No. 1:

1. What are the distinct

features of this society?

2. Do you think what are

their priorities during this
time?

3. By seeing the picture,

what do you think are the
norms they have?

4. What caused the

transformation of this
society?

Picture No. 2:

1. What are the distinct

features of this society?

2. Do you think what are their

priorities during this time?

3. By seeing the picture, what

do you think are the norms
they have?

4. What caused the

transformation of this society?

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Picture No. 3:

1. What are the distinct

features of this society?

2. Do you think what are

their priorities during this
time?

3. By seeing the picture,

what do you think are the
norms they have?

4. What caused the

transformation of this
society?

What is It

A. Pre-Industrial Societies
a. Tribal Society - the term “tribe” denotes a group of peoples
living in a primitive setting under a leader or chief. The term
‘tribal society’ associates it to other meaning such as
“primitive society” or “preliterate society.” The word ‘tribe’ has
become an important technical term which pertains to a
political unit in a certain territory. The term’s use is rooted
from Latin which is associated to the political divisions or
orders of the Roman empire. Tribal societies are small in
scale; bound to their spatial and temporal range of relations
in terms of society, law, and politics; and possess a moral
code, cult, and wide range of belief system. The language
systems of tribes are unwritten which provides a narrow
extent of communication. At the same time, tribal societies
show a self-sustaining structure which is absent in the
modern society. This is achieved by the close connections
that exist between tribal organizations, and by the focusing
of a leader or person to multiple roles. Unity and coherence
exist in tribal values that are closely related to social groups
and are provided with an intensity characteristic of all
“closed” systems of thought.

b. Feudal Society - Feudalism refers to the economic, political,

and social system that prevailed in Europe from about the
ninth to the fifteenth century. Due to the lack of effective
centralized government during this period, kings and lords
granted land and provided protection to lesser nobles known
as vassals. In return, these vassals swore oaths of loyalty

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 and military service to their lords. Peasants known as serfs
were bound to the land and were subject to the will of their
lords. One social class system or economic form was not
realized for Europe over the whole Middle Ages. A new
economy after medieval period known as capitalism is still in
progress. Medieval world is known for its traditional land
economy and military service, and an urban society. These
led to a feudal-based social-class system and trade &
commerce based on money or capital. For the urban or town
environment, merchants, artisans, and customers formed
the core of the society. They saw manufacture as the most
important business to produce goods for sale and buy in the
local market economy. Local products was to have an impact
in other areas, such as regional fairs, port cities, and far
trade destinations.

B. Industrial society is the one which uses advance technology to

drive a masssive production industry that will support a large
population. For example, the United States is an industrial society
because a huge portion of its economy is tied to jobs that involve
machine work, like factory farming or auto-assembly plants, that
has a combination of machine and human employees to produce
goods. The objective of an industrial economy is the fast and
efficient manufacturing of standardized products. The same goes if
one avails a car, there is a chance that the car was mass produced
because it operates similarly to other models, and its parts can be
replaced with other parts because they are identical.

C. Post Industrial Society - is marked by a progress from a

manufacturing-based to a service-based economy. Post
industrialization is most evident in countries and regions that were
among the first to experience the Industrial Revolution, such as the
United States, western Europe, and Japan. Daniel Bell, an
American sociologist, first coined the term ‘post-industrial’ in 1973
in his book “The Coming of Post-Industrial Society: A Venture in
Social Forecasting,” which describes several features of this kind of
society. Post-industrial societies are characterized by:

a. a shift from the production of goods to the production of

services;
b. the replacement of manual laborers with technical and
professional workers (computer engineers, doctors, and
bankers) as the direct production of goods is moved
elsewhere;
c. the replacement of practical knowledge with theoretical
knowledge;
d. focusing to the theoretical and ethical implications of new
technologies, which helps society avoid some of the negative

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 features of introducing new technologies, concerning
environment and energy;
e. the development of recent scientific disciplines—that involve
new forms of information technology, cybernetics,
or artificial intelligence—to evaluate the theoretical and
ethical implications of new technologies;
f. an emphasis on the university and polytechnic institutes
which produce graduates who innovate and lead the new
technologies contributing to a postindustrial society; and
g. the changing values and norms which reflects the influences
on the society. In an instance, outsourcing of manufactured
goods changes how members of a society see and treat
foreigners and immigrants. Also, those individuals previously
occupied in the manufacturing sector find themselves with
no clearly defined social role.

DIGITAL SOCIETY AND THE INFORMATION AGE

Digital technologies have wildly affected our interactions and activity in
the 21st century. They have significantly changed our way of learning, working
and socializing. In this modern world we rely with the use of modern
technology which has led to considering the possible outcome for the society,
concerning how we would take part in interaction, and how we can use these
digital tools and communication channels.

Having our heads of digital society in our minds, we first have to think
of the information society; which are correlated with the progress and
development of digital information and communication technologies to the
internet at least. Information society plays a vital role with regards to the
circulation and control of made-up ideas which affects political, economic,
social and cultural aspects. So, what does this mean for the everyday citizen?

These informative societies have paved many opportunities reaching

bigger audiences like never before. With a wider scale of the world’s
demography, primarily Westerners, have access to sources and technologies
which enables them to connect with enough activities whether economic,
social, political, or educational. We can manipulate the phasing of learning
(e.g. free sources) or businesses (e.g. online selling) without a large sum of
money used as a capital and we can share our ideas and perspectives to the
international audiences as we connect beyond.

What do we mean by digital citizenship?

Now, one of the main terms in the modern world is the ‘digital citizen’.
What does this actually mean? A digital citizen is a person who is
knowledgeable and responsible enough to effectively use different social
platforms in the internet. They often engage in useful topics and issues that
will help build a better society, politics and government. If we will dig deeper,
digital citizenship might look simple. We might think that it is just about using
the internet safely. However, we also need to consider and understand that

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this citizenship can get complicated, especially if we are going to criticize and
show interest in sensitive topics as we start to become a digital citizen, using
digital media to actively participate in society and politics.

If we look a little closer at the field of ‘citizenship studies’ this will lead
us to a better understanding of what digital society really means. A citizen is
defined as an individual character who is viewed as a member of a society
while citizenship considers an individual’s behavior in terms of rights,
obligations and functions of said citizen. Being a citizen of a state requires
tons of obligations and duties such as work, taxation and obedience of laws.
On the other hand, citizens also have their rights, it includes civil rights such
as freedom of speech and expression, to stand for what we believe in, and
rights to a private life; political rights, or the right to vote and social rights to
health care and welfare. In this course we will tackle these rights as we look
at real definition of what it means to be a citizen in the modern society and
how legislation and the government shape our ability to be democratic citizens
who can stand for the truth.

What does this all mean then in the digital age?

We have said that being a digital citizen requires active participation

online, not just access and use. In their book “Being Digital Citizens” (2015)
Isin and Ruppert suggest that if we constitute ourselves as digital citizens, we
have become subjects of power in cyberspace. We are enacting ourselves on
the internet, considering and understanding the opportunities presented by
this medium, such as anonymity, communication, and influence. In short, we
can use digital technologies to engage and participate on many levels in society
and political life.

The virtual society and the technological devices today are starting to
reshape the human person and human interactions and relationships. More
and more interactions are done in the virtual world than in the actual world.
People are more thrilled to see their virtual selves than their actual selves.
They are more themselves online than offline. And this leads one to ask, “Who
am I?” in a more complex manner. People seem to start manipulating
personalities as they exhibit different behaviors in different worlds. People fall
in love in virtual worlds. Someone breaks up with a partner through a text
message. Human relations seem to start losing an important element in living
– commitment. Virtual worlds and disembodied relations lack commitment.
We can always step back and retreat in a virtual world. We can always create
a new self when our avatars die or when it has become undesirable. We can
always ignore message. Virtual realities remove risks; and because we do not
want to risk, we patronize the virtual world. Commitment is hard. To commit
is to risk. In the virtual world, one’s anonymity lessens, if not completely
removes risks. When we are confronted with real social problems like war and
famine, discrimination harassment and corruption; we let the world know that
we condemn these evils and express participation in the abolition of these
problems. How? By a futile click to like. People in the modern technological
society ultimately make no real commitments

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THE DISEMBODIED SUBJECT

The dissatisfaction and frustration of the human person with bodily

limitations drive the person to prefer a disembodied human relation. At the
outset, it must be clarified that the term disembodied subject does not mean
that in the technological society, human persons are no longer living with their
bodies. However, in a manner of speaking, people are slowly putting aside
their bodies in relating with others because the technological society offers an
alternative which apparently resolves human of an embodied subject. Face-
to-face interaction is too stressful and difficult while virtual interactions are
relatively easier. Consequently, we find many cases where people prefer
communicating using virtual world, even if the person involved is someone
seen on a regular basis. Moreover, the disembodied interaction among people
is aggravated by modern technological devices. The different gadgets that are
produced today support disembodied human relations. The scene which the
technological society creates is very familiar to us: we see a family, or friends,
gathered around a table or in a room, but with very minimal actual embodied
human interaction. Everyone is glued to their devices – cellphones, tablets,
laptops, or any device and they are all probably interacting with their virtual
societies. One is busy with other things other than the persons within the
room or in the closest proximity. The kind of human interaction, which was
still present just two decades ago, is obviously altered now. And however much
we try and remind ourselves to refrain from being alone with our devices while
being with others, we always fall back into interacting with our gadgets. We
prefer to interact with our phones with the unfinished game that we are
playing, with the new music and movies we downloaded, or with our friends
who are probably in the situation – with other people as well, but alone with
their devices too. Interacting with actual embodied subjects, face-to-face, is
becoming more and more difficult today. It is indeed more difficult to relate to
other embodied subjects than to relate with things.

The practice of selfie is another move towards disembodied human

relations. People used to approach other people to take their photos. But the
regained popularity of selfie gave people the idea that they do not need the
other to take photos. And the invention of the monopod aggravates the
condition. The monopod allows us to take group selfies without missing a
member of our group. It has solidified the person to take our photos. Maybe
we will just disturb the person by asking him to take our photo. But maybe
we are more afraid of being rejected than by the idea of bothering the other.

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The virtual society and the
technological devices today
are starting to reshape the
human person and human
interactions and
relationships. More and more
interactions are done in the
virtual world than in the
actual world. People are more
thrilled to see their virtual
selves than their actual The Senior High School faculty members of Camp
selves. They are more Vicente Lim Integrated School took a group selfie
themselves online than while preparing modules for distribution.
offline. And this leads one to
ask, “Who am I?” in a more complex manner. People seem to start manipulating
personalities as they exhibit different behaviors in different worlds. People fall in love
in virtual worlds. Someone breaks up with a partner through a text message. Human
relations seem to start losing an important element in living – commitment. Virtual
worlds and disembodied relations lack commitment. We can always step back and
retreat in a virtual world. We can always create a new self when our avatars die or
when it has become undesirable. We can always ignore message. Virtual realities
remove risks; and because we do not want to risk, we patronize the virtual world.
Commitment is hard. To commit is to risk. In the virtual world, one’s anonymity
lessens, if not completely removes risks. When we are confronted with real social
problems like war and famine, discrimination harassment and corruption; we let the
world know that we condemn these evils and express participation in the abolition
of these problems. How? By a futile click to like. People in the modern technological
society ultimately make no real commitments. (Introduction to Philosophy of the
Human Person: Senior High School. (2020) Quezon City: Vibal Group Inc.)

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 What’s More

Learning Task 4: Using an overlapping Venn diagram, learners must analyze

all the differences and similarities of the 3 major historic societies. Use the
rubrics as guide for answering.
Tribal Society

Industrial
Society

Post- Industrial
Society

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This rubric will serve as a guide for scoring your Venn Diagram.
Performanc Needs
Outstandin Very
e Areas Satisfactory Improvemen
g Satisfactory
2 t
4 3
1
Concept Each Each section Each section Each section
Arrangemen section of of the of the of the
t the diagram diagram diagram diagram
contains contains contains two contains very
four facts three facts facts that are few facts that
easily easily somewhat are not easily
identified. identified. identified. identified.
Primary The student Student The student Student
Source exhibits illustrates a displays a shows little
Content mastery of firmer limited or no
the material understandin understandin understandin
as g of most of g of some g of the topic.
evidenced the details on the There are a
by attention similarities subject few details.
to detail. and matter.
differences
brainstormed
.
Linking Reflects Most of the Reflects some Contains non-
Content factual information is factual factual
together information factual and information and information that
that seemingly attempts to put it does not
corresponds corresponds in the correspond to
with the with the corresponding the appropriate
appropriate appropriate section of the section of the
section of the section of the diagram. diagram
diagram. diagram.

What I Have Learned

Learning Task 5: After reading the concept of digital society and digital
citizenship, learners must answer the following questions below:

1. What are the distinct features of digital society which make it

significantly different from the previous societies?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

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 2. In your own understanding, how does digital society form?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

3. Do you think, what are the things digital society can offer compared
to the previous type of society?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

4. How post-industrial society and digital society connected to each

other?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

5. What are the possible positive and negative effects of being citizen
of digital society?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

What I Can Do

Learning Task No. 6: Essay.

1. Compare and contrast our time to the 70s and 80s in terms of the
following:
a. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a post-
industrial/technological society?
b. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in BEFORE
post-industrial/technological society?
c. What are the differences of social relationships between those
living 70s-80s and to our contemporary era?
d. Concept of love and friendship

2. Is it better to go back to the tribal and feudalistic forms of society

where the sense of community is stronger? Explain your answer.

3. Applying everything you learned about digital society and

citizenship as well as with the disembodied subject, do you think an
examined life can be compatible with these societies?

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 Assessment

True or False. Write the word True if the statement is correct and write the
word False if the statement conveys otherwise. Write your answer on a separate
sheet of paper.

1. Human societies remain the same.

2. Tribal societies have an established property right.
3. Post-industrial societies focus on development of mass production.
4. Virtual society relatively provides a new world for us.
5. The virtual society and the technological devices today are starting to
reshape the human person and human interactions and relationships.
6. Virtual worlds and disembodied relations promote commitment.
7. One of the features of industrial society is that it emphasizes on
the importance of universities and polytechnic institutes which
produce graduates who innovate and lead the new technologies
contributing to a postindustrial society.
8. Feudal society has its historical roots from Asia Minor.
9. The language systems of tribes are well-written which provides a vast
extent of communication.
10. Human society continuously develop as humans develops themselves.

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 Additional Activities

Learning Task No. 8: Reflection. Write a short essay on how social contexts
surrounding a person can contribute to his or her upbringing, beliefs and
overall quality of life. Take sample from your personal experience.

My Social Upbringing

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Assessment
False
False
False
True
True
False
False
False
False
True
Answer Key