● 5.

1 HUMAN PERSON: THE EMBODIED SPIRIT (Philosophy of the Human Person)

HUMAN NATURE
-
BODY and SOUL
- Aside from the physical characteristics, another aspect of the human that defines us as persons is the spirit.

SPIRIT
- Created by GOD, and that is embodied in the human being.
- The spirit continues to persist into the afterlife and is essential elemental for the salvation of mankind.

ANCIENT GREEK
the human soul is composed of three parts: LOGOS, THYMOS, and EROS
- The human mind is IMMORTAL and persists after the body.
- Regarded the soul as integrated into the human body
- The soul is the part of man’s essence which enables him to achieve his ultimate

MIND-BODY PROBLEM
- It questions how the mental or non-physical are able to interact with the physical body, and to what extent one influences the other.

MATERIALISM
- Claims that MATTER IS THE FUNDAMENTAL SUBSTANCE in nature and that all things, including mental aspects and consciousness, -are results of material interactions.
- MONISM argues that the human being is composed of elements that are neither physical nor mental.
- PHYSICALISM believes that physical processes and thoughts are the only reality.

DUALISM
- Believes in the distinctiveness of the physical and mental nature of man.
- Dualist says that the mental and the physical are both real and neither can be assimilated to the other.

HOW ARE THE BODY AND SPIRIT RELATED?

- Philosophers consider the human person as defined by the union of th]e BODY and SPIRIT.

The human is an EMBODIED SPIRIT. The body and the spirit are not only united, but they are integrated with each other.

EMBODIMENT
- Enables us to do and experience all the things that makes us human persons.

SCIENCE: love is the result of various biological reactions associated with an increase in hormones.

PHILO: Human persons do not love just with the heart nor the brain. We love another person with our entire being.

● How are the body and spirit related?

- Science: Love is a result of various biological reactions associated with an increase in hormones, which may have certain effects on the body. Philosophy: Human
persons do not love just with the heart nor the brain. We love another person with our entire being. Embodiment is the one thing that enables us to feel love and love
others.

EMBODIMENT
- The human body stands as the mediator between the material world and the spiritual world.

- Being an embodied spirit, the person is able to encounter the world of objects (and other personal subjects) in a manner that transcends the physical.

- Human embodiment allows a person to attach certain feelings or ideas not only to people but also to objects.

- With human embodiment, physical acts are no longer purely physical a]cts, because the body conveys something from a person’s inner world.

- It is through embodiment that a person is able to have a very unique relationship with the world

- And it is this unique relationship that defines us as HUMANS!

● The human body stands as the mediator between the material world and the spiritual world. Being an embodied spirit, the perso n is able to encounter the world of objects
(and other personal subjects) in a manner that transcends the physical. This feature allows him to form intimate relationships with those outside him. Human embodiment
 allows persons to attach certain feelings or ideas not only to people but also to objects. (pair of shoes as a present from a loved one)

● With human embodiment, physical acts are no longer purely physical acts, because the body conveys something from a person’s i nner world. A pat on the shoulder from your
idol, a smile from your crush, a kiss from your partner will create intense emotional reactions in you. These examples show that it is through embodiment that a person is able
to have a very unique relationship with the world. And it is this unique relationship that defines us as humans.

5.2 HUMAN PERSON: LIMITATIONS AND TRANSCENDENCE (Philosophy of the Human Person)

HUMAN NATURE

How are the body and spirit related?

BODY and SOUL

- Aside from the physical characteristics, another aspect of the human that defines us as persons is the SPIRIT.

EMBODIMENT
- Enable us to do and experience all the things that make us human persons.

EMBODIED SPIRIT
- The body and the spirit are not only united, but they are integrated with each other.

Limitations of a man as an embodied spirit:

1.) FACTICITY
- Refers to the things in our life that are already given
- Refers to all the details that surround us in the present : our environment, our language, our past decisions, our past and p resent relationships, and even our future
death.

2.) SPATIAL-TEMPORAL BEING

- As temporal beings, our most obvious limitation is our finitude - our finite quality or state.
- As spatial beings, we are limited by our bodies to be present in two or more places at the same time.
- We are limited by space (spatial) and time (temporal). Our spatial-temporal situation sets our preconditions of understanding.

3.) BODY IS INTERMEDIARY

- Our body serves as an intermediary between us and the physical world
- Our body limits our experience of the world to our world
- This imposes limitations concerning communication and expression

How do we communicate with each other?

- WORDS

But can words really capture the things we want to express?

- Despite our limitations, we have used our intellect to devise means to achieve several feats.

- Limitations can lead to POSSIBILITIES.

TRANSCENDENCE

TRANSCENDENCE
- The ability to surpass limits.
- One important trait that distinguishes the human person from other beings in existence
- They are within our control, we can either change them or go beyond them

How do limitations lead to transcendence?

1.) Facticity
- At times we use our facticity as an excuse for our difficulties and failures

“ If you were born poor, it’s not your mistake. But if you die poor, it’s your mistake (Bill Gates).“

2. SPATIAL-TEMPORAL BEING
- We are more concerned with the past and/or future that is why we never appreciate the PRESENT.
 “When you live in the past, you die in the PRESENT!”

- Our spatial-temporal character is an invitation to make the most of our lives

- We cannot be at the place where we want to be at an instant.

“It is the people closest to us that we most often neglect”

“We often appreciate the value of things when it is no longer present.”

- Our Spatial-temporal character is an invitation to value the people and things around.

3.) Body as intermediary

- Having a body may prevent us from disclosing what we really want to express
*In most cases, words aren’t enough. An example: MAGBABAGO NA AKO PROMISE!

*This is a challenge for us to be more creative in expressing ourselves

*Actions speak louder than words

TRANSCENDENCE

- Each individual carries within himself the possibility of transcending his limits by exerting enough effort and perseverance
- The essence of transcendence is: to acknowledge our limitations, identify possibilities for development, and change ourselves for the better
- Philosophy gives us useful tools to explore our limits and possibilities
- Opening yourself to new experiences and ideas is another aspect of transcendence
- Our capacity for transcendence gives us the opportunity to work toward becoming better versions of ourselves.