Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Region I
Schools Division Office I Pangasinan
Pangasinan National High School
Lingayen, Pangasinan

Introduction to the
Philosophy of the Human
Person

The Human Person in their

Environment
Quarter 1 – Module 4– Week 7

Most Essential Learning Competency:

∙ Notice things that are not in their proper place and organize
them in an aesthetic way.
PPT11/12-Ii-4.1

Prepared by:
Mona-Liza S. Gerolaguin, LPT
Lesson 4: The Human Person in Their Environment
 This chapter deals with the different ways and approaches of solving environmental problems
and generally, on how man should ethically deal with his environment. Also different issues on
environmental ethics will also be discussed as well as the present and future challenges on the
environment and our role in its sustainability, together with our duties and obligation that we ought to
uphold in achieving this goal. After all, the earth’s future is our responsibility.

What I Need to Know:

∙ To probe into a distinct frame about gaining valuable insights regarding the human person in
the environment.
∙ Analyze the relationship of human person in its environment.

∙ Appreciate the beauty of nature

What I Know (Pre-Test): Identify the issue in the following images.

What’s In (Review)
In the previous lesson you learned the importance of human person as an embodied spirit as
well as distinguish own limitations and the possibilities of his/her transcendence. That despite of our
strength and weaknesses we must be aware of our actions, we must be responsible enough of
whatever consequences we undertake and as steward of God’s creation, we need to conserve and
preserve our environment for our future. Do you love your environment? Did you take care of your
environment? How far have you done in taking care of your environment?
This lesson will introduce environmental philosophy and its ethics in the analysis of environmental
problems. A general conception of environmental ethics will be discussed at the beginning of the
lesson together with the discussion about the attribution of moral standing or worth on the following:
humans, animals, living organisms and holistic entities or communities such as ecosystems. This is
necessary for the understanding of the assumptions of the different environmental approaches,
anthropocentrism, biocentrism or ecocentrism.
 What’s New (Activity 1)

Title of the Activity: Tell Me.

Directions: Answer the questions briefly.

I. Why is there now a need for everyone to seriously consider taking care of the environment?
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II. Could people live in in a healthy environment if there are no other living creatures around?
Explain your answer.
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III. How does “respect for nature “come into play in an anthropocentric view of things.?
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What is It (Discussion)

The Human Person in the Environment

Did you ever think of what happened on how we treat our environment? Like throwing
garbage everywhere, consuming much of our natural resources like water and electricity. How would
you describe our environment today? Is it the same how God entrusted it to us? What have you done?
Was there a big change? As the saying goes “what goes around comes around” it tells us that for
every action we made it has always an effect on it. `Like we are facing right now the different
environmental issues such as air/water pollution, blocked drainage, waste-water flooding, diseases
and other consequences that we are facing right now and this is because of other people showing no
concern in our environment. This is the time for us to reflect in order for us to save our environment
for our future.

I. Environmental Ethics - is the discipline in philosophy that studies th moral relationship of human
beings to and also the value and moral status of, the environment and its non- human contents.” Thus,
this would include the process of attributing moral consideration not only to human beings but to non
humans as well. This could be stretched from sentient life (animals), to living organisms including
plants as well as to holistic ecosystem or communities. It also traces the relationship between human
beings to the environment including its non-human content in the moral realm where their value or
moral status is considered. (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Attribution of Moral Consideration

1. Anthropocentrism- Man’s superiority could also be traced back to Plato and Aristototle when they
gave importance to the capacity of man is the measure of all things. This rationality is the key to
being moral, thus the recognition that only human beings are moral due to his special ability towards
self-consciousness and deliberation.

2. Biocentrism- is the view that not only humans and animals, but also plants should be morally
considerable. This give due consideration to the preservation of biodiversity with its plants and
animals. They are advocating environment protection for all living organisms including animal rights.
This is literally a life-centered theory. According to Paul Taylor, in his article entitled, The Ethics of
Respect for Nature, all living things should be considered as “ teleological centers of life.” That is,
each and every living organism has its own telos, or goal or purpose to fulfill in this world.
3. Ecocentrism- Leopold’s land ethic, as earlier cited, reduces all living beings (man, animals, and
plants) into mere members of the ecosystem or community. Thus, the ecosystem-centered ethic or
ecocentrism regards ecosystems as holistic entities that should be given moral consideration. His land
ethic gives importance, not on individual moral consideration, but a holistic regard for the biotic
community or ecological systems. He claims that, “ a thing is right when it tends to preserve the
integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends to do otherwise.

4. Panthocentrism- Peter Singer, an Australian philosopher, espoused that the realm of being morally
considerable must be extended to higher forms of animals or intelligent animals like dogs and
chimpanzees, who are sentient and therefore, have the capacity to feel pain, and thus suffering.

II- Environmental Aesthetic

A philosophical view that believes in maintaining order in the environment will bring out the natural
beauty of surroundings and contribute to the well-being of the people and other organisms living in
it. (Endriga, 2017)

A. Ancient Thinkers

1. Anaximander- Creation and Destruction. According to Anaximander’s sketch of the genesis of the
world (cosmology), the evolution of the world begins with the generation of opposites in a certain
region of Nature: a portion of the boundless first differentiates itself into a cold-moist mass
surrounded by a roughly spherical shell of the warm-dry. Once the warm-dry has been separated out,
surrounding the cold-moist, it begins to evaporate the moisture of the latter, and this process forms a
vaporous atmosphere.

2. Pythagoras- described the universes living embodiment of nature’s order, harmony, and beauty. He
sees our relationship with the universe involving biophilia (love of other living things) and
cosmophilia (love of other living beings). Perhaps, we could consider the early him as an ecologist.

B. Modern Thinkers

1. Immanuel Kant- believes that the orderliness of nature and the harmony of nature with our faculties
guide us toward a deeper religious perspective. This vision of the world is not limited to knowledge
and freedom or even to faith, in the ordinary sense of the term. It is a sense of cosmic harmony.

2. Herbert Marcuse – understanding our relationship with the environment can also refer to the human
beings with ecology and nature. For Herbert Marcuse, humanity had dominated nature. There can
only be change if we will change our attitude towards our perception of the environment.

3. George Herbert Mead- as human beings, we do not have only rights but duties. We are not only
citizens of the community but how we react to this community and in our reaction to it, change it.

Sustainable Development: The Future Challenge

According to the World Commission on Environment and Development, sustainable development is
defined as: “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.” In other words, the notion of sustainable development
upholds the ideal that any social, environmental and economic advancement can be achieved within
the carrying capacity of the earth’s natural resources.

Theories in Radical Ecological Philosophy

1. Deep Ecology- proponents of deep ecology, were disillusioned with existing modes of depletion of
natural resources by industries and the heavy pollution they cause. They see shallow ecology as an
extension of the traditional and conventional worldview. Deep ecology, as an environmental
approach, emerged as a reaction to this shallow ecological point of view. Deep ecology presupposes
biospheric egalitarianism which assumes that all living things possess equal value an intrinsic worth
regardless of their usefulness or utility to other beings.

2. Social Ecology- is an offshoot of the movement against domination of existing hierarchical

structures in society that pre-empt the development of the full nature of an individual, from his first
and second nature. According to Murray Bookchin, the proponent of social ecology, “ Until human
 beings cease to live in societies that are structured around hierarchies as well as economic classes, we
shall never be free of domination, however much we try to dispel it with rituals, incantations,
ecotheologies, and the adoption of seemingly ‘ natural ways of life “.

3. Ecofeminism – was a reaction against male domination and the corresponding oppression of
women. Superiority justifies subordination. Men are assumed to be superior to women and nature,
thus the subsequent domination and exploitation. Ecofeminism believes that a society characterized
by a mentality that tolerates the oppression of women is directly linked with its tendency to tolerate
the abuse of the environment and degradation of nature.

What’s More?

Title of Activity: Heal the World

Directions: Organize the following images in a more aesthetic way and environment friendly. Draw
your idea and write your explanation on the space provided.

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https://www sciencefocus com/news/war-on-drugs-is-driving-deforestation/

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https://bethwaldron.wordpress.com/tag/litter/

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What I Have Learned (Generalization)

Title of the Activity: Tell something about me.

Directions: Differentiate each attribution of moral consideration.

1 Anthropocentrism-
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2. Ecocentrism-
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3. Biocentrism-
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4. Panthocentrism-
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What I Can Do (Application)

Title of the Activity: What must I do?

Directions: Answer the following questions briefly.

1. In the preservation, conservation and restoration of the environment, do humans have to be given
priority over all other inhabitants of our planet? Why?
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2. What are the pressing challenges facing our environment?

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3.What is my obligation as a moral being, in the context of the present environment challenges?
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4. How should the world community respond to these challenges?

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 Assessment

Title of the Activity: Who is who? What is what?

Directions: Match Column A with their meaning in Column B. Write the letter

only. Column A Column B

1. It consider human beings as the center of moral A. Panthocentrism

consideration. B. Herbert Marcuse 2. Espoused that the realm of being morally
considerable C. Ecofinism
must be extended to higher forms of animals. D.Biocentrism 3.The view that not only
humans and animals, but also E. George Herbert Mead plants should be morally
considerable. F. Anaximander 4. All living beings as mere members of the ecocystem
G. Ecocentrism or community. H. Anthropocentrism 5. According to him as human
beings, we do not have I. Pythagoras
only rights but duties. J. Immanuel Kant 6. According to him the evolution of
the world begins
with the generation of opposites in a certain region
of nature.
7. He described the universe as living embodiment of nature’s
Order, harmony, and beauty.
8. For him there can only change if we will change our attitude
towards our perception of the environment.
9. He believes that the orderliness of nature and the harmony
of nature with our faculties guide us toward a deeper
religious perspective.
10. It was a reaction against male domination and the corresponding
oppression of women.

.
Additional Activities

Title of the Activity: What Do You Think?

Directions: Write your thoughts regarding these passages of this section.

A. The controlling attitude of humankind is extended to nature, when in fact, humanity is part of
nature.

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B. Destroying nature is a reflection wherein few people overpower others while exploiting the
environment for profit or self-interest.

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Rubrics:
 I. What I Know?
CATEGORY 5 3 1
Content The content is relevant,
complete
CATEGORY 5 3 1
Content The content is
relevant, complete
and substantial
Readability of Text All texts are
readable and legibly written
CATEGORY 5 3 1
Content The content is relevant,
complete
and substantial
Readability of Text All texts are
readable and legibly written
IV. What I Have Learned?
Content The content is relevant,
complete
CATEGORY 5 3 1
Content The content is relevant,
complete
and substantial
Readability of Text All texts are
readable and legibly written
CATEGORY 5 3 1
The topic is irrelevant,
unsubstantial and
incomplete
Most of the texts are
not readable and not
and substantial The content is relevant, and
substantial yet incomplete
The topic is irrelevant, unsubstantial
and incomplete
II. What’s New?
III. What’s More? The topic is irrelevant, unsubstantial
The content is relevant, and and
substantial yet incomplete incomplete
Some texts are Most of the texts are not readable
readable and not and not legibly written
legibly written
The content is relevant, and The topic is irrelevant, unsubstantial
substantial yet incomplete and
incomplete
Some texts are
readable and not Most of the texts are not readable
legibly written and not legibly written
CATEGORY 5 3 1
and substantial The content is relevant, and
substantial yet incomplete
The topic is irrelevant, unsubstantial
V. What I Can Do? and incomplete
VI. Additional Activities The topic is irrelevant, unsubstantial
The content is relevant, and and incomplete
substantial yet incomplete Most of the texts are not readable
Some texts are readable and not and not legibly written
legibly written
legibly written Readability of Text All texts are
readable and
legibly written
Content The content is relevant, The content is relevant, and
complete substantial yet incomplete
and substantial Some texts are readable and not
legibly written
References:
A. Books
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person Christine Carmela R. Ramos, PhD
First Edition

Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person Maria Paul G. Sioco PhD and Ignatius
H. Vinzons
Maria Paula G. Sioco and Ignatius H. Vinzons. 2016. Introduction to the Philosophy of the
Human Person .1253 Gregorio Araneta Avenue, Quezon City: Vibal Group Inc.
Roberto Abella. Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon City:
C & E Publishing, Inc., 2016, 10-14.

Aleli Caraan. Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Makati City:
DIWA Learning Systems Inc., 2016, 2.
Winston Gallinero and Richard Juanito Estaris. Introduction to the Philosophy of the
Human Person. Malabon: Mutya Publishing House, Inc., 2017, 6-9, 21-29.
B. Online and Other Sources
Tip: Press “shift and enter: to break URLs without breaking the link.
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person.
https://depedshs.blogspot.com/2001/06/introduction-to-philosophy-of-human.html
Course Hero. https://www.coursehero.com/file/p4k23lb/philosophical-way-11-
Distinguish-a-holistic-perspective-from-a-partial-point-of/

Slide Share. https://www.slideshare.net/arielgilbuena7/intro-to-the-philosophy-of-the

human-person-chapter-1-the-process-of-doing-philosophy
Brainly. https://brainly.ph/question/346702