WHAT DOES IT MEAN “TO BE”?

Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person(Lecture: November 18, November 21 2022)

Humanities and Social Sciences | PROF. Jessa Encinareal | SEM 1 2022

Greek Mythology
Why are we here?
Objectives:
● Explain the ideas of various classical
philosophers about the “self” and the “world”.
● Understand the philosophical conceptions of
the self and its relationship with the world.
● Evaluate one’s understanding of the human
person as a “self” and its connection with the
“world”.
Our Connection with the Natural Environment
● We are connected with our environment.
● The environment we inhabit plays a role in
how we interact with it, including how we view
the world.
● Homer - author of the Iliad and Odyssey.
○ Gods interfere with the events of
humanity.
○ Gods have the ability to interfere with
political and emotional affairs of
humans.
● Iliad and Odyssey - epic poems that are the
central works of Greek literature.
● The Trojan War - story that basically tells
about the interference of gods (In this story,
mainly Zeus) to lessen mortal lives.
Legends Summarized: The Trojan War
● In conclusion: Mythology explains, empowers,
stabilizes, and elevates the life of a believer
from a mundane existence to one imbued with
eternal meaning. -Campbell 2008

Where does the world come from?

Our Beginnings and Battles with the Unknown
● History of humanity is a story of survival.
● “Who am I?”, “Where does the world come Beginning of Greek Philosophy
from?”, “Is there an afterlife?” are questions Hesiod
that humans tried to answer throughout ● Believes in fate for the good of the people.
history. ● Fate is the moral order itself.
Myths ● Believes that fate is the driving force of
● From the greek word “mythos”, meaning everything to keep everything balanced.
narrative. ● Work & Days(???)
● Myths served as answers to the questions ● Gods created the universal moral order for the
mentioned before. good of the people.
● Our way of explaining the unintelligible - the ● Moral Order - we should know how to act
unknown. appropriately.
○ To satisfy the curiosities of humanity. Milesian Thinkers
○ To explain phenomena in the early ● Belives that things happen for a reason and
days. they find meaning in the reason.
● There is something far beyond gods.
How Myths Cured Our Ancient Anxieties
Philippine Mythology The “Stuff” That Makes Everything
● A creation myth about Bathala the god of the ● Arché - the originating principle
sky, Aman Sinaya goddess of the sea, and Thales
Amihan the north wind which centers around ● Water is the origin element/everything starts
the rivalry between Bathala and Aman Sinaya. from water because everything either starts or
● Malakas and Maganda the first Tagalog produces water.
people emerged from the bamboo from the Anaximander
seed that Bathala gave as an apology. ● Student of Thales;

This document was made by Sebastian C. Bauto of HUMSS 11-A S.Y. 2022-2023, do not share or print without asking for permission.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN “TO BE”?
Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person(Lecture: November 18, November 21 2022)
Humanities and Social Sciences | PROF. Jessa Encinareal | SEM 1 2022

● All things have no origins because the origin ○ In society, the superior makes the
is th origin itself/the origin is boundless. rules and the inferior are simply
● Apeiron - boundless or unlimited. hopeless.
The Socratic Dialect
Aristotle
● The element of origin should be definite Socrates
because everything has an origin or is an ● Dialectic - the best way to gain knowledge is
origin. through a disciplined conversation.
Anaximenes ● Intellectual Midwife - the Socratic dialect.
● Everything comes from the air because air ● Elenchus - dialectic technique.
occupies all space. ● It is particular and universal.
● Air is essential to life. ○ Particular - the action of individuals.
○ Universal - concept of the act of
Everything is Numbers different individuals.
Pythagoras
● Supports Anaximenes but says that air has a
The Allegory of the Cave and the Divided Line
definite form by having a limit.
○ Music:Harmony Plato
○ Space:Atoms ● Reality is how you make it/Reality is what we
● Believes all things consist of numbers. see.
● Allegory - means to imply something.

A World of Atoms Plato’s Allegory of the Cave - Alex Gendler

Leucippus and Democritus

● Reality of Space/everything is made up of Matter and Form are One
atoms.
Aristotle
● Matter undergoes 4 causes:
How do we know the truth? ○ Formal Cause - “What is it?”.
○ Material Cause - “What is it made of?”.
○ Efficient Cause - “By what is it made?”.
Sophists’ Relativism ○ Final Cause - “For what end is it
● There is no such thing as absolute truth. made?”.
● Humans have diff perspectives because we
are imperfect and we have limited knowledge.
What does it mean to be human?
● Truth is subject to change.
● Relativism - tradition or view where every
perspective and judgement is seen to be “An Unexamined Life is not Worth Living”
relative to the person or culture that perceives
Socrates
it.
● Soul or Psyche - the personality of a person
Protagoras
itself.
● There is no universal law.
○ The function is to know.
● The state makes rules and religions create
● To know what is good and knowledge is a
ethics, giving them roles in society.
virtue.
Gorgias
● There is no truth b/c words are just symbols.
Thrasymachus
● “Might is right.”

This document was made by Sebastian C. Bauto of HUMSS 11-A S.Y. 2022-2023, do not share or print without asking for permission.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN “TO BE”?
Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person(Lecture: November 18, November 21 2022)
Humanities and Social Sciences | PROF. Jessa Encinareal | SEM 1 2022

“The Soul is Simply Trapped in the Human Body”

Plato Philia
The soul is composed of two parts. Love of friendship according to Aristotle.
● Rational - reason or decision; seeks intangible
treasures. Three levels of friendship:
○ Rationality - faculty of the soul, desires 1. Based on pleasure - based on the character.
the forms where all truth can be found: 2. Based on utility - reciprocity of interests.
3. Based on the good - common virtue in life.
1. True knowledge
2. True pleasure Self-love
3. True happiness ● Commitment to attaining a life of virtue.
○ Spirit - responds to the direction set by ● To love in the highest form, you must first love
reason and drives the body toward yourself.
action.
○ Appetite - responds to bodily desires Agape
● Irrational - material desires.
To love unconditionally according to the ancient
“Each Posesses a Power to Become”
Greeks.
Aristotle
● “De Anima” ● Love for all humanity.
● The attainment of virtue requires action. ● Takes the element of Eros and Philia.
● There are three kinds of souls.
Three Kinds of Souls

Vegetative - gives one a capacity for

nutritive and biological functions.
● Animals and Plants.

Sensitive - gives on capacity to desire

and get those desires.
● Animals.

Rational - allows one to reason.

● Humanity.

Why do we love?

Eros

To love is to love the form of beauty according to

Plato.

● Sometimes infatuation.
● You love because of the physical beauty,
not their inner beauty.
● For example, you are head over heels for a
person that you only see pass by your
classroom every Monday, not knowing their
personality.

This document was made by Sebastian C. Bauto of HUMSS 11-A S.Y. 2022-2023, do not share or print without asking for permission.