INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE  Partial Perspective – also called as partial point

HUMAN PERSON of view; focuses on specific aspects of a

situation in order to understand it; looking the
Lesson 1: What is Philosophy? situation in only one part.
Philosophy – study or discipline that uses human reason o Example: Doctors focus on specific set
to investigate the ultimate causes, reasons, and of symptoms to determine the cause of
principles which govern all things. the patient’s illness.
 Comes from two Greek words: philos (love) and
sophia (wisdom) = “love of wisdom” Reflection – requires a person to be willing to examine
 Philosophers – lovers of wisdom one’s thought, feelings and actions to learn more about
one’s life and experiences.
PHILOSOPHY  Reflection is vital (important) in ensuring that our
actions and decisions are well thought out and
Cognitive Normative are done with due regard for their implications
and consequences on ourselves, others and our
surroundings.
Metaphysics Logic Ethics Politics
Lesson 2: Methods of Philosophizing
Epistemology Aesthetics In today’s society, we encounter a lot of information from
various sources such as the media and our interactions
2 branches of Philosophy: with friends, family and members of the community. Most
1. Cognitive – being and knowing (knowledge) of the information we receive is helpful, but some may
 Metaphysics – reality and existence mislead us or may even be utterly fake.
 Epistemology – human knowledge
 Logic – thinking and reasoning Philosophers often grapple with the concept of truth.
2. Normative – values and norms  Propositions – statements about the world or reality;
 Ethics – human actions: acceptable or may or may not carry truth.
unacceptable, good or bad  Knowledge – is the clear awareness and
 Aesthetics – beauty or art understanding of something.
 Politics – study of fundamental questions about  Facts – statements which are observed to be real or
the state, government, politics, liberty, justice, truthful.
property, rights, law and the enforcement of a o Example: “Fish live in water.”
legal code by authority  Claim – statements that are not evidently known to
be true.
Practical uses of Philosophy o Example: “I know that my school is the best
1. For critical analysis and interpretation of school in the city.”
concepts  Conclusion – is a judgment based on certain facts.
2. Improve problem-solving and decision making  Beliefs – are statements that express convictions
3. Gain wisdom and knowledge that are not easily and clearly explained by facts.
4. Self-development o “I believe that God put me on this Earth to
spread His message of love.
The ff. are the most notable ancient Greek philosophers.  Explanations – statements that assume the claim to
 Pythagoras be true and provide reasons why the statement is
 Heraclitus true.
 Democritus  Arguments – statement that provides reasons to
 Diogenes of Sinope convince the reader or listener that a claim or
 Epicurus opinion is truthful.
 Socrates o Fallacies – kind of argument that is based
 Plato on faulty reasoning.
 Aristotle  Bias – personal views of the person.

Why there is a need to philosophize? Opinion vs. Truth

 Plato – Sense of Wonder
 Rene Descartes – Doubt
 Karl Jaspers – Experience
 Socrates – Love for Wisdom
Perspective – the way of looking at a situation, facts,
etc.
What is the diff. of Holistic and Partial Perspective?
 Holistic Perspective – a perspective that
considers large-scale patterns; looks at life at
the “big picture” or its totality; seeing the
situation as a whole.
o Example: A doctor identifies other
underlying condition of the patient with
stomach problem.
 Opinion – is a view or judgment about something but
not necessarily based on facts; belief or view; a
result of a person’s feeling, perspective, beliefs and
desires
o Example:
 My President is better than yours.
 The Avatar: Way of Water Movie is
superb.
 Truth – is a body of real things, events and facts;
judgment or proposition that is true, in accordance
with facts.
o Example:
 The grass is green.
 Juanito Rosas is the School
Principal of PTVHS.

How do we know if something is true?

1. A belief is true if it can be justified or proven through
the use of one’s senses.
2. A belief or statement is true if it is based on facts.
3. Getting a consensus or having people agree on a
common belief.
4. Determining truth requires a person to prove
statement through an action.
5. Claims and beliefs should also be subjected to tests
to determine truth.
Lesson 3: The Human Person as an Embodied Spirit
The following terms are related to the discussion of the
human person:
 Man – commonly used to refer to the entire human
race. Other terms include humanity, mankind, and
humankind.
 Human – refers to man as species – Homo sapiens
sapiens or modern human beings.
 Human Beings – used to distinguish man from
other animals.
 Person – much more complex term which generally
refers to a human being granted recognition of
certain rights, protection, responsibilities, and
dignity.
 Philosophers refer to the human
person as the totality of an
individual, possessing awareness,
self-determination, and the capacity
to interact with others and with
himself/herself.
 Personhood – the state of being a person.
 Human Nature – refers to the characteristics that
distinguish humans from all other creatures.
Example: thinking, feeling & acting. Without these
you may not be considered a human person.
As humans we have special traits that make us a distinct
individual person.
1. Self-Awareness - having a clear perception of
oneself, including his /her thoughts, emotions,
identity, and actions. A person is aware of both his
surroundings and himself.
Interiority – quality of being focused on one’s inner
life & identity or having an inner world. We
experience this when we daydream, get lost in our
thoughts, imagine, fantasize and reflect.
2. Self-Determination - the capability of persons to
make choices and decisions based on their own
preferences, monitor and regulate their actions.
 Free will – enables us to do actions whenever
we want to. This is the capacity to choose a
course of action from various alternatives.
o The existence of free will enables a
person to act willfully, control his actions
and himself as the source of action.
 Consequence – is the result or effect of an
action or condition.
 Morality – the goodness or badness of an act.
o Human action – important aspect of the
person for this is a way to reveal a
person’s true nature.
o Human acts or actions complete the
person, as it is through his or her actions
that his inner self is revealed to others.
3. Externality - the capability to reach out and interact
with others and the world.
 Philosophers consider man a social being, we
never exist in isolation. We have the natural
tendency to seek out fellow human beings
4. Dignity - innate right to be valued and respected.
Each person is worth the same as another person in
the sense that every person is priceless, unique,
unrepeatable, and irreplaceable.
 Putting a price on a person diminishes
human dignity.
 Human person has dignity simply because
of the fact the he/she is human.
The Three Parts: Body, Soul, and Spirit
 The body is the physical side of a person. It touches
the material world through the five senses of sight,
smell, hearing, taste, touch.
 The spirit is the spiritual side of man. It interacts with
God and the spiritual realm through its own set of
“senses,” things like faith, hope, and prayer.
 The soul is the life of a person. It is the animating
principle of a person, and is responsible for
imagination, memory, reason, and emotions. As
such, the soul serves as the command center for the
person. Neither the body nor the spirit can function
on its own; both look to the soul for direction and
action.
Lesson 4: The Human Person in the Environment
Like physical sciences, philosophy also seeks to explore
the relationship between humanity and the environment.
Environmental Philosophy or Environmental Ethics
 The discipline that studies the moral relationship of
human beings with the environment and its non-
human contents.
 Tackles issues such as humanity’s role in the natural
world.
Philosophers believe that the person has a special
relationship with nature.
 The raw state of the environment can be likened to a
blank canvas that needs to be painted on. Persons
have the ability to cultivate the nature.
3 major views regarding the relationship between
humanity and the environment:
1. Anthropocentrism – believes that humans are the
most important species on the planet.
2. Biocentrism – believes that humans are not the only
significant species on the planet, and that all
organisms have inherent value and should be
protected. Even now, we have a law that animals
should be treated kindly or right “RA 8485 or The
Animal Welfare Act of 1998”
3. Ecocentrism – places great value on ecosystems
and biological communities.
We benefit greatly from a clean and orderly environment.
Clean and orderly surroundings contribute to safety,
well-being and health, while dirty and disorderly
surroundings result in disease or accidents.
Environmental Aesthetics – is one philosophical view
that believes maintaining order in the environment will
bring out the natural beauty of the surrounding.
Disorder exists in our environment that destroys the
beauty.
 Natural calamities such as typhoons, earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions and landslides
 Human factor such as pollution, environmental
degradation (Desertification, deforestation,
acidification of the oceans, the massive erosion of
biodiversity), global warming and climate change.
Human actions that contribute to environmental
problems including littering and improper use of
resources.
 The accumulating garbage causes flood and
becomes health hazards because it spreads dirt and
disease.
 Factories often release harmful smoke and fumes
into the air.
OUR HARMFUL ACTIONS CONTRIBUTE TO
DISORDER IN OUR ENVIRONMENT.
Environmentalism – advocates to address the growing
environmental problems. This advocates the
preservation, restoration and improvement of the natural
environment.
Environmental Ethics – one important philosophical view
from environmentalism
 A moral approach that analyzes the relationship
between humans and the environment. Also
discusses environmental problems caused by
human activities and social issues that impact the
environment.
 Guides us in upholding the welfare of the
environment and everything in it.
 Environmental Ethics has resulted in the
development of varied views:
 Social Ecology – analyzing society and sees a
relationship between social problem or
environmental problem
 Climate Ethics/Climate Justice – addresses the
responsibilities individuals owe to our earth
systems while also considering mitigations
already in place.
 Environmental Aesthetics – focused on concepts
of beauty in nature.
Sustainability – or also called as sustainable
development. Focuses on reconciling human activities
and economic development with the protection of the
environment.
 One of the major ideas of sustainability is
that we must make wise decisions regarding
the use of natural resources to ensure that
there is still enough left for future use.
 You might have been told to finish all of your
food whenever your parents see that have
leftovers on your plate.
 In a single day, how many people have
leftovers if we put these together it would be
as tall as a mountain.
Look back at how you have been using other natural
resources like water and electricity. Have you been using
them in a responsible and efficient manner?
Sustainability relies on three important principles
1. Environmental Integrity – maintaining the state of the
environment.
2. Economic Efficiency – prudence in decision-making
regarding the use of resources to ensure that there
is minimum zero waste.
3. Equity – demands that we use our natural resources
in such a manner that these are conserved so that
the next generation will be able to use them.
 Prudence – is the ability to govern and discipline
oneself.
 Frugality – being thrifty with the use of one’s
resources. Is the quality of being frugal, sparing,
thrifty, prudent or economical in the consumption of
consumable resources such as food, time or money,
and avoiding waste, lavishness or extravagance.
Lesson 5: Freedom of the Human Person
Freedom – is an intrinsic (innate, inborn) and essential
property of the person.
 An important indication of human freedom is the
ability to make choices and perform actions.
 This sets us apart from other beings.
Freedom is also understood as the power to be what you
want to be and the ability to decide and create yourself.
Freedom is rooted in the human person’s self-
determination and the exercise of intellect and free will.
 Self Determination – refers to the capability to make
choices and decisions based on their own
preferences.
 Free Will (Sariling Loob, Kusang Loob) – this makes
self-determination possible, capacity to choose a
course of action from various alternatives.
This means that a person’s action is freely determined
and these actions define him or her. We can freely
choose to be a good person and to act in a good way. A
good act makes a person better while bad act will have a
negative consequences or impact.
Freedom also requires a DEGREE OF CONTROL from
the person who exercises it.
 A person becomes less free when he or she is no
longer in control of himself and is instead controlled
by other forces.
Kinds Of Freedom
1. Physical Freedom
o Absence of any physical restraint
(limitation). The person has the freedom of
mobility to go where he or she wants to
2. Psychological Freedom
o Freedom of choice. The person is free to
perform actions that he or she considers
right and wise. A person is also free to act
and not to act,
3. Moral Freedom
o Using freedom in a manner that upholds
human dignity and goodness.
2 Elements that Define Freedom
1. Voluntariness – ability of a person to act out of his or
her own free will and self-determination. When a
person acts even if he or she is not required to do
so.
2. Responsibility – being accountable for his or her
actions and their consequences.
Self-reflection is vital in the proper exercise of human
freedom. As persons, we cannot allow ourselves to be
slaves to sudden emotions and moods whenever we act.
As free and rational beings, we must recognize the
importance of exercising freedom responsibly.
How can I exercise freedom in a beneficial manner?
1. Human freedom should be exercised with control
and a recognition of reasonable limits.
2. Freedom should also be exercised with regard for
knowledge and truth. (We should determine the
proper information before we choose the best course
of action to ensure our choices are proper, just and
reasonable.)
3. We should also recognize and uphold not only our
individual freedom but also the freedom of others.
(Example: freedom of religion)
Lesson 6: Intersubjectivity
The interaction between the self and the other is related
to the philosophical concept of intersubjectivity.
Intersubjectivity - is the mutual recognition of each other
as persons. It refers to the characteristic of the human
person to engage in a very intimate and personal
relationship with others who are different from him or her
but who are also like him or her.
What characterizes a genuine human interaction?
Our human nature drives us to uphold dignity and
goodness, our interactions with others are also geared
towards what is good and beneficial. These lead humans
to strive to achieve deeper and more substantial
interactions and relations with other people. This deeper
and more genuine interaction is called Dialogue.
 Dialogue is an interaction between persons that
happen through speech or through the use of words,
expressions, and body language.
 A dialogue occurs when two persons “open up” to
each other and give and receive one another in their
encounter.
 Genuine dialogue occurs when persons are willing to
share themselves with one another.
How does intersubjectivity define our interactions with
other persons?
Philosophers agree that it is important for humans to
pursue and achieve genuine relationships to attain
development.
 Empathy – the ability to share emotions. This
enables us to experience another person’s emotions
such as happiness, anger and sadness.
 Availability – the willingness of a person to be
present and be at the disposal of another.
 Ethics Of Care – encourages individuals to help
other people, especially the vulnerable (like persons
with disabilities).
Not all human interactions are positive. There are those
who view other people negatively and consider human
actions as being influenced by selfish interests. A person
that adopts this negative view is said to be experiencing
alienation.
Helen Keller (1880-1968)
 American author, political activist, and the first deaf-
blind person to earn a bachelor’s degree.
 Lost her hearing and sight when she was an infant
due to illness.
 Despite being blind and deaf, Helen learned to
“hear” people’s speech by feeling their lips with her
hands. She became proficient at using braille and
reading sign language. She eventually learned how
to speak and became a well -known public speaker.
Nicholas James “Nick” Vujicic (born 1982)
 Australian evangelist and motivational speaker who
was born with phocomelia, a condition in which a
person is born with no arms and legs.
 He was bullied growing up, but it did not stop him
from pursuing his dreams.
 At age 21, he graduated with a degree in Commerce
and went on to pursue a career as a motivational
speaker.
Roselle Ambubuyog (born 1980)
 Is the first visually-impaired Filipino to graduate
summa cum laude from Ateneo de Manila University
in 2001.
 She lost her eye sight at the age of six due to an
illness.
 Despite her handicap, she was a consistent
academic honoree in her school, graduating
valedictorian in both elementary and high school.
 Initiated “Project Roselle” together with the Rotary
Club or Makati-Ayala, and provided schools with
software and equipment, such as computers and
printers, that will aid blind students in their studies.
 She worked at Freedom Scientific Inc. as consultant
in developing software for people who are visually
impaired and those who have learning disabilities.
Lesson 7: The Human Person in Society
The tendency to form groups is not exclusive to human
beings. Other animals also form groups for mutual
protection and survival. Humans, however, are the only
beings capable of establishing a society.
Society – is an organized group of people whose
members interact frequently and have a common
territory and culture. Also refers to a companionship of
friendly association with others, alliance, a community or
a union.
 Individuals who come together in pursuit of a
common goal.
 Members of the society are able to transform
themselves and attain development through their
interactions within society. In turn, humans are also
able to influence society through their actions.
The Social Contract Theory
To fully understand the true character of society, they
imagined humans as living in a so called “natural state”,
removed from modernity and civilization. Here are the
most prominent social theorists who tackled the origins
of human society and their views:
 Thomas Hobbes (Social Contract) – persons in their
natural states are governed by their desires and
these often lead to conflict with their fellowmen.
Individuals who establish societies enter into a
“social contract” – an agreement where individuals
sacrifice an amount of their freedom and submit to a
higher authority.
 John Locke (Consent of the Governed) – considered
persons in their natural states as more cooperative
and reasonable, and that society is formed through
the consent of the individuals who organized it. This
concept is known as the consent of the governed.
Locke’s social contract is covenant (or agreement)
among individuals to cooperate and share the
burden of upholding the welfare of society.
 Jean Jacques Rousseau (General Will) – believed
that since the people are the ones who organized
the society and established an authority or
government, the government should make sure what
is most beneficial for the society.
 John Rawls (Original Position) – introduced a
version of the natural state which he called the
original position to explain social formation. He
imagined humans as having a “veil of ignorance” or
no knowledge of one’s own characteristics such as
gender, race, or social status.
 David Gauthier (Self-interest) – described people’s
self-interest as a significant factor in building and
maintaining societies. People choose to cooperate
since it is beneficial to meet their self-interests.
Although there are variations on the social contract
theory, perhaps one common feature they all have is the
fact that the different individuals enter into a kind of
agreement with one another to form a society.
It is important to note that the society is founded on the
concept of the common good. Common good refers to
the social conditions which enable persons and groups
to fulfill their goals and achieve well-being.
Different Forms of Societies
Name of
Society
Hunting and - Earliest and simplest
Gathering form of society.
Society - Small size and is
composed mainly of
families.
- Nomadic because they
spend most of their time
searching for food and
thus, have no permanent
territory.
Pastoral Society - Domestication of animals
for food for a more stable
and predictable food
supply.
- Larger than Hunting and
Gathering Society
- Remain longer in one
place.
Horticultural - Primarily engages in
Society small-scale cultivation of
plants, fruits, and
vegetables and the
domestication of
animals.
- Semi-nomadic (meaning:
they travel to another place
when they have consumed
or use up the resources in
one area.)
Agrarian or - Involves the large-scale
Agricultural and long-term cultivation
Society of crops and
domestication of
animals.
- Further evolution of
pastoral and horticultural
society.
Feudal Society - Based on the ownership
of land.
- In this society, rulers grant
their followers the right to
manage parcels of land.
Industrial - Based on the use of
Society specialized machinery in
the production of goods
and services.
Post-Industrial - Marked by the
Society establishment of societies
based on knowledge,
information, and the sale
of services.
- Members of this society
have higher educational
attainment, better training
and specialized roles.
Virtual Society - People organize
themselves through
communication
technology and the
Internet.
- Product of a post-industrial
society.
How does society influence our development as
persons?
1. Influences the interactions of its members through
the establishment of norms (meaning: set of traits
and behavior that society considers acceptable, and
are thus encouraged and passed on to other
members). Norms are one of the ways that society
regulates the behavior and interactions of its
members and establishes and maintains social
order.
 Laws – more formal and stringent (strict)
norms that establish and define acceptable
behavior of citizens. These also prescribe
the consequences or penalties that will be
imposed on violators.
 Folkways – are less formal norms that arise
from tradition and do not result in
punishment when violated.
2. Society, through the establishment of norms, can
also influence knowledge and ideas.
 For instance, if the traffic light flashes red,
what does it mean? We all know that the red
light means stop. We have learned to accept
the statement “the red traffic light means
stop” as truth because society has
established that fact and we have been
exposed to it since we are young.
3. Society also transforms human relations, which
leads to the transformation of its members.
4. Another way society shapes us is through social
values, which are actions or ideals that are
considered important by the society.
 Values such as cooperation, obedience to
the law, concern for others, and respect for
others.
 A society that upholds positive social values
will influence its members to uphold these
values.
 Although society greatly influences the development
of the self, the human person still has the freedom to
choose not to be fully defined by his or her
background or society. We have the freedom to rise
above our circumstances and make ourselves into
something different or better.
o For instance, a child who grew in the slums
or squatters’ area can choose to rise above
his or her social condition through education
and hard work.
o A person who comes from a family of
doctors may feel that he or she has a
different calling in life and thus may choose
not to pursue a career in medicine.
Lesson 8: Human Persons as Oriented Towards
Their Impending Death
Have you ever thought about what it means to die?
Surely, the idea makes you a bit uncomfortable. You
may feel that thinking about death at this time in your life
is a bit inappropriate or unnecessary since you are still
young. However, we cannot deny the fact that death
exists in our world.
 We humans are temporal beings or beings oriented
towards death. It means that his/her life is
temporary; he/she is not a being who exists
permanently and for eternity.
Death – understood as the end of bodily functions which
signals the end of a person’s life. This also refers to the
separation of the body and spirit.
A person’s life is limited in time. There are people who
deny the idea of human decline (weakening) and death.
Some people rely on anti-aging treatments and products
to make them look, feel and think that they are younger
that they really are. Others focus on experiencing
intense moments and feelings in order to feel alive
because no one really knows when life will end.
 This has given rise to the various expressions such
as YOLO (You Only Live Once) and “Eat, drink, and
be merry for tomorrow we die.”
These attitudes are not necessarily bad but they may
prevent us from reflecting on the reality of death. We
must embrace the fact that it is an integral part of our life.
In our lifetime, we must focus not just on quantifiable
aspects of life but also on its quality.
How should I live my life before it finally ends?
Understanding the person as being towards death brings
us back to a very important topic: Freedom. It has been
discussed previously that the essence of freedom is self-
determination – the capacity to choose and act for
oneself.
While there is no freedom in the inevitability of death, a
person can still exercise freedom in choosing how to
face the reality of death in their lives. For example, a
person cannot stop himself from growing old but he can
choose to embrace aging gracefully.
 You may have seen older people who take pride of
their gray hairs, wrinkles and the fact that they have
grandchildren.
 Others mask their physical aging such as getting
cosmetic surgery or availing age-defying treatments.
 As biological beings, we cannot stop aging and the
eventual decline of our bodies. However, we can
spend our lives doing good and reasonable things or
even go against what is good.
The term “end” can be understood in two ways.
 terminus – full stop or end of a line
 telos – goal, purpose or fulfillment
Although we are oriented towards our death, but it is not
the goal of life. The human person is not born into this
world just so he or she could die. Man is put on this earth
to live a meaningful life, to be virtuous (good) and
achieve excellence.
We can look at two experiences which make us reflect
on the meaning of life: happiness and suffering.
What makes you happy?
 Ancient Greek Philosophy considers happiness as
an achievement and it must be gained by living a
productive and moral life.
 Religious philosophers consider happiness as a
union with God.
 Other contemporary view happiness as “whole-life
satisfaction”.
 Happiness also has a social element, as we should
not only be concerned about our own happiness, but
also the well-being of others.
 Happiness is a state of being and not merely an
emotional experience or a chosen mental attitude.
Sources of Happiness
 Noble Good – pursued for its own sake; it is good in
itself. (Example: Love and Friendship)
 Useful Good – considered good as long as it serves
as a means to an end; its goodness is found only
from what it can provide. (Example: Money is good
as it can buy you something)
 Pleasurable Good – good so long as it provides
some form of pleasure, though it does not have to be
physical.
Why do we suffer?
 Suffering takes place when we patiently endure
unpleasantness, discomfort, and pain.
o Physical Suffering – physical sensations
such as discomfort, hunger, distress and
pain. Caused by injury, disease and lack of
basic needs.
o Mental Suffering – involves emotional and
mental states such as depression, anxiety,
fear, loneliness and grief. These may be
caused by unexpected situations in life such
as sudden changes in lifestyle, loss of
employment, stressful situations and grief
caused by the death of a loved one.
 We normally experience difficulties in life, and how
we deal with them is often determined by our
mindset regarding suffering.
 Without suffering, we are unable to grow and
improve and our positive experiences lose meaning
and significance.
 Our hardships bring about realizations and
opportunities for us.
How do happiness, suffering and death give meaning to
your life?
 As we approach our death, we experience both
happiness and suffering.
 For example, a person who wishes to pass his or her
exams must spend time to study and exert effort to
perform well in his/her academic tasks. Athletes who
wish to become the best in their sports often
experience hardships in training, injuries, and
several setbacks before they are able to gain victory.
 Look back at an achievement in your life which you
consider your most significant triumph. Certainly,
that victory was coupled with trials and difficulties,
but that victory was made more significant and
sweeter by the fact that you were able to surmount
the challenges you faced.
NOTE: THIS COMING JANUARY 30 & 31, PLEASE
OBSERVE PROPER SHADING.