HUMAN FREEDOM - a human person is free to make choices and perform actions and consequently

accountable for these choices and actions. As a free being, we must accept the consequences of our actions and
be responsible for them.
- A person who had no awareness of the effect of his/her actions can be considered as
acting with diminished freedom.
- In any situation where a person is forced to do an action against his/her will, it
follows that he/she cannot be held responsible for his/her involuntary actions.
CONSEQUENCE - is the result or effect of your choices and actions.
PRUDENT/PRUDENCE - describes the characteristic of exercising careful, wise, and sensible judgment when
making decisions. A prudent individual demonstrates good judgment by carefully weighing potential risks and
consequences before taking action. This quality entails the capacity to make sound and considerate choices, often
with an emphasis on long-term results and the well-being of oneself and others. It suggests a cautious and
thoughtful decision-making approach, steering clear of unnecessary risks while taking into account the broader
impact of one's actions.
HUMAN ACTS - acts with conscious knowledge, acts that are done freely, acts done with consent.
ACTS OF MAN - acts that happen naturally; acts done without self-awareness, without deliberation, reflection,
consent. Instinctive, spontaneous acts that human beings share with other animals.
INTERSUBJECTIVITY - refers to shared meanings constructed by people in their interactions with each other.
- the interchange of thoughts and feelings between two persons or subjects as
facilitated by empathy (Edmund Husserl).
PERSON WITH DISABILITY - any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits
one or more major life activities; has a record of such impairment; or is regarded as having such an impairment.
UNDERPRIVILEGED - person not enjoying the same standard of living or rights as the majority of people in
a society.
✓ appreciation of PWDs and the underprivileged is fundamental for creating a just, inclusive, and
compassionate society that values the inherent worth of every individual. It promotes equal opportunities,
breaks down barriers, and contributes to the overall well-being of communities.
AUTHENTIC DIALOGUE - refers to a communication style characterized by openness, honesty, and genuine
expression. In authentic dialogue, individuals engage in meaningful conversations where they express their
thoughts, feelings, and perspectives sincerely and transparently. It involves active listening, empathy, and a
willingness to share one's own thoughts and experiences without pretense or hidden agendas.

Jurgen Habermas
➢ German sociologist and philosopher in the tradition of critical theory and pragmatism. He is perhaps best
known for his theories on communicative rationality.
According to Jurgen Habermas, there are different kinds of social relationships.
1. Personal - interactions are based on a mutual regard for each other as persons.
- interactions are defined by cooperation rather than competition.
- The focus of personal relationships is the preservation and development of the mutual regard for
each other.

2. Transactional - interactions are based on a regard for each other as means for attaining one’ goals.
- in this relationship, persons are “used” not necessarily in the derogatory sense, to help attain
his goals or succeed in his plans
- Transactional relationships are more of competitive.
SOCIETY - An organized group of people whose members interact frequently and have common territory and
culture.
 TYPES OF HUMAN SOCIETY
1. Hunting and food gathering
➢ Earliest and simplest form of human society
➢ People survive by foraging for vegetables, fishing, hunting large wild animals and collecting shellfish.
➢ Tools made of stones, woods and bones
➢ They are nomadic and no permanent territory
➢ Members are treated equally

a. Base camp - a place where infants could be cared for and where meat and plant foods could be brought.
b. Division of labor- males were hunters. Females were tasked with child rearing and plant food
c. Development of cooperation - each individual became more dependent on the activities and trust of
others.

2. Pastoral Societies
➢ Relies on herding and the domestication of animals for food and clothing to satisfy the bulk of the group needs.
➢ Animals being raised to provide milk, dung (fuel), skin, sheared fur and even blood (drunk as major source of
protein in east Africa)
➢ Larger populations than hunting and gathering
➢ produce surplus food and resources which they trade with other societies.

3. Horticultural societies

➢ Started 12,000-15,000 years ago

➢ Use of human muscle power and handheld tools to cultivate the fields.
➢ Revolutionary form of food production, planting seeds
➢ Rice, barley, corn
➢ Cultivation of plants, fruits and vegetables
➢ Domestication of animals, semi-nomadic, they travel to another place when they have already depleted the
resources in one area.
➢ women do domestic work while men engaged in hunting and farming.

4. Agricultural societies

➢ use of the plow in food production.

➢ Evolution of pastoral and horticultural societies
➢ Plowing turns the topsoil far deeper than hoeing
➢ Used of improved technology and tools in farming. Used irrigation eventually
➢ Population growth
➢ Rising of conflicts over resources and land

5. Feudal Society

➢ Society based on ownership of land

➢ It arouses out of developments in western Europe during Medieval times, when rival kings were engaged in
conflict.
➢ Rulers grant their followers (VASSAL) the right to manage parcels of land.
➢ The vassals are served by the peasant workers, who cultivate the land.
➢ Members of society are organized based on status. Those who owned the land are the most powerful
➢ Peasants are the lowest group
➢ People who belong to higher classes are treated with respect by the members of community. Often traditional
and preferred to maintain things the way they are.
6. Industrial societies

➢ rose in connection with industrial revolution.

➢ Used mechanical means (machine and mechanical process) for production of goods.
➢ Industrial societies required immense, mobile diversity, specialized, highly skilled and well-coordinated labor
force. Members need to be educated at least to read and write.

7. Post-industrial societies

➢ Depends on specialized knowledge to bring about continuing progress in technology.

➢ Spread of computer industries. Highly trained specialists who work to increase the capabilities of computers
make advances in this field.
➢ Virtual Society wherein people organize themselves through technology and internet.

According to Habermas, there are three main spheres of society, these are:

• The social system of money - economic system (market)

Relationships are more of transactional and individuals view each other as means for a particular goal
or end.
In the market, we pay someone in return for goods
• The social system of power - political system (state)
In political system, some individuals control others’ actions in order to ensure that the peace and order
is maintained.
THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
• EXECUTIVE – law enforcing bodies
• LEGISLATIVE – law making bodies
• JUDICIAL – law interpreting bodies

• Lifeworld – (family, religious, communities)

Lifeworld is significantly different from the other two. We are within the confines of our homes or
immediate communities, we naturally assume that all who are part of the community are persons and must be
consciously recognized and treated as such.
• We treat each other intersubjectively
• There is a mutual recognition
• It is marked by cooperative communication

Social Interactions and the development of Societies

Material production- refers to the utilization and distribution of society’s resources for the physical survival and
welfare of all individual members.
Symbolic reproduction- is the transmission and renewal of cultural knowledge, the establishment of solidarity
and cooperation and the formation of identities of persons thru socialization.

Historical Development of societies

• Tribal and Feudal societies

Mechanistic solidarity - a person’s consciousness is very much aligned with collective consciousness with the
tribal leader and monarch
- No clear sense of individuality among members of the society
- It did not encourage individual critical thinking

• Modern Industrialized Societies

- The development of trade (mercantilism) and the emergence of a capitalist system of economy.
- Tribal leaders, monarchs and feudal lords no longer held a monopoly over material resources.
- This kind of arrangement in modern societies is called organic solidarity.

Organic solidarity - recognition of differences among members with an awareness of their co-dependence.
Contractual solidarity - kind of organic solidarity, it is an implicit contract among members in which they are
expected to fulfill their roles in the social system, in return, society while function properly.
How does Society influence our development as Persons?

1. Society influences our development as persons in various ways

Society is the backdrop by which we adopt the prevailing culture, identity, values, ideas and knowledge
of the persons, groups and communities that surrounds us.
Social role, social groups/social classes, social institutions
2. Society transforms human relations, which leads to the transformation of its members.
- early societies centered on family and clan
- Virtual societies emerged
3. Society shapes us through Social Values
- values such as cooperation, obedience, respect
- Generation gap of parents and children leads to conflict

SUFFERING takes place when we patiently endure unpleasantness, discomfort and pain.
2 kinds of Suffering
A. Physical suffering- pain derived from a “physical cause.” It could be accompanied by a “physical injury,
inflammation, dysfunction, or disease.”
B. Mental suffering - refers to discomfort, dysfunction, or distress of the mind; depression, anxiety, fear,
loneliness, and grief.

✓ It's crucial to keep in mind that being aware of our goals plays a pivotal role in leading a purposeful and
satisfying life. This awareness not only guides our actions but also serves as a source of motivation to
overcome challenges, while simultaneously providing a means to measure our progress on our journey.
✓ Reflecting on the meaning of life is a fundamental aspect of human existence that can lead to personal growth,
improved well-being, and a more intentional and fulfilling life journey. It serves as a foundation for making
meaningful choices, developing resilience, and fostering positive connections with oneself and others.