Lesson 3:

The Human Person

as an Embodied
Spirit
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
Let’s Ponder

Imagine that you are tasked to write

a description of the human species,
how will you describe human beings
to aliens?
 Let’s Embark

At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

 Explain that they are human persons possessing a body and spirit;
 Identify the traits that distinguish them as human persons;
 Explain how embodiment defines them as persons;
 Recognize that human nature brings the possibility of transcendence;
 Recognize their own limitations and possibilities;
 Evaluate their own limitations and possibilities for transcendence;
 Recognize how the human body imposes limits on and possibilities for
transcendence; and
 Distinguish the limitations on and possibilities for transcendence.
Inquire and Discover

What makes us special?

Man

Man is the general term commonly used to refer

to the entire human race. Other related terms
include humanity, mankind, and humankind.
Human refers to man as a species – Homo
sapiens sapiens or modern human beings.
The term human being is also used to
distinguish man from other animals.
Person

Person is a much more complex term which generally

refers to a human being granted recognition of certain
rights, protection, responsibilities, and dignity, above
all.
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 or herself.
Personhood refers to the state of being a person.
Human nature

Human nature refers to the characteristics

that distinguish humans from all other
creatures. These traits are assumed to arise
independent of the influence of culture and
society.
What is a human person?

Self-awareness refers to the person having a clear

perception of oneself, including his or her thoughts,
emotions, identity, and actions.
The human person is defined by a deeper awareness which
is driven by rationality or human thought. A person is
aware of both his or her surroundings and himself or herself.
This awareness gives rise to the notion of the "self", which
philosophers describe as the person who is actively aware
that he or she is perceiving and experiencing reality.
Try saving these words aloud:

I am a person.
I am alive.
I exist.
I am here. I am present.
I am living at this very moment.
What is a human person?

The fact that we can daydream, get lost in

our thoughts, imagine, fantasize, and reflect
shows that we are able to reach within
ourselves and experience interiority, which
is the quality of being focused on one's inner
life and identity. This interiority enables
persons to exercise creativity.
What is a human person?

The self also enables us to reach out

and interact with things outside of
ourselves.
What is a human person?

Another trait that defines a person is self-

determination. This refers to the capability
of persons to make choices and decisions
based on their own preferences, monitor and
regulate their actions, and be goal-oriented
and self-directed.
What is a human person?

Our free will enables us to do

actions whenever we want to and
makes self-determination possible.
Free will is the capacity to choose a
course of action from various
alternatives.
Example

Imagine a small boy, Carlo, playing in the living

room of their house while his mother is in the kitchen.
Suddenly, the boy accidentally bumps into a table,
causing a vase to fall. Upon hearing the sound of
something crashing to the floor, Carlo's mother
immediately goes into the living room and sees him
standing near the broken vase. Carlo's mother asks him,
"Did you break the vase?" What do you think his answer
will be?
Possible Answer

1. I broke the vase, Mama.

2. I bumped into the table and the vase fell,
Mama.
3. No. I did not break the vase, Mama.
What is a human person?

Consequence is the result or effect of

an action or condition. As persons, we
are aware that each action we perform
has a consequence.
 Nature of consequence

Mother
Miko Vase falls goes into Mother
Miko plays
bumps to the the lining asks him Miko
in the ???
into the floor and room to if he broke responds
room.
table. breaks. investigat the vase.
e
Process Questions

What do you think will happen if Miko admits

to break the vase?
What do you think will happen if he does not
admit to breaking the vase?
What is a human person?

Morality or the goodness or badness of an

act.
What is a human person?

Human action is such an important

aspect of the person that many
philosophers consider human action
as a way to reveal a person's true
nature.
What is a human person?

For example:

We may find a person attractive, but if he or

she acts in a rude or offensive manner, our
initial favorable impression may change.
What is a human person?

Another important trait that defines a

human person is externality or the
capability to reach out and interact
with others and the world.
What is a human person?

Philosophers consider man a social being, and

that a person never exists in isolation.
Man has a natural tendency to seek out fellow
human beings, and the relationships
established by this interaction is a vital
component for survival.
What is a human person?

Our interactions with others define our

existence as persons. We grow and develop
not only through our thoughts and actions,
but also through the influence of other people
in our lives, and the individuals we meet and
interact with.
What is a human person?

Can you say that you have grown as a

person because you had meaningful
interactions with the people you met
throughout your life?
What is a human person?

The final trait that distinguishes the

human person is dignity or the
innate right to be valued and
respected.
What is a human person?

Human dignity also drives us to seek what is

good. Doing good actions, therefore,
upholds and promotes the dignity of the
human person. Since we recognize
ourselves as persons with dignity who
deserve to be treated well and respected,
we should also treat other persons in a
respectful manner.
 THINK: Activity # 1

Think of an example that shows the ff characteristics

of the human person.
A person has awareness of self
A person has self-determination
A person is able to reach out and interact with
others
A person has dignity
 DISCUSS: How will you uphold the
dignity of the human person in the
following situations?

 Your classmates are teasing your cross-eyed classmate

because they find her funny-looking.
 Your friend confided in you that his girlfriend told him that
she was pregnant. He is asking your advice on what to do.
 You discover that your 4-year-old sister likes to draw and
daydream. She shows you a drawing of a green flying
elephant which she tells you is her imaginary friend.
 Your teacher invites you to join him in an outreach program
where you will be spending the whole summer break helping
impoverished communities.
What is our human nature that
enables us to become persons?

For instance, if a person has an accident and

loses an arm and a leg, does that person lose
a part of his or her identity? Does he or she
become less of a person?
What is our human nature that
enables us to become persons?

If you describe yourself as someone who is

"hopeful", "happy" or "friendly," are these
traits evident in your physical body?
What is our human nature that
enables us to become persons?

This intangible element is the spirit

which enables us to exercise thought,
possess awareness, interiority, and
the capacity to reach out to the
outside world and other persons.
How are the body and the spirit
related?

Philosophers consider the human person

as defined by the union of the body and
the spirit. The human person is an
embodied spirit. Not only are the body
and spirit united, but they are also
integrated with each other.
How are the body and the spirit
related?
How are the body and the spirit
related?

Have you experience falling in

love?
 THINK: Activity #2

Discuss how embodiment is demonstrated in the following situations.

 Miguel is very depressed. His girlfriend just broke up with him and he has
spent the whole day in his room. He keeps going over their old photographs
in happier times while listening to their favorite songs on the radio.
 Patricia nervously waits to be called to perform on stage for her recital. She
looks toward the audience and sees her family. Her father does the "thumbs
up" sign and smiles at her. She smiles back and she can feel her
nervousness disappearing.
 Alice sees to it that she engages in meditation once a day at work. She
finds the activity relaxing, as she is able to quiet down her thoughts and
devote a moment for herself.
How does my human nature enable
me to explore my limits?

Compare yourself with thing around

you. What enable you among all the
being in the world?
How does my human nature enable
me to explore my limits?

The ability to surpass limits is called

transcendence, and it is also one
important trait that distinguishes the
human person from other beings in
existence.
 How does my human nature enable
me to explore my limits?

Analyze the following questions and check if you have ever found
yourself asking or wondering the same things.
 Have you ever wondered about what is beyond our world or
universe?
 Have you ever wanted to become better at something or to learn
something new?
 Do you see yourself becoming a better person over time?
 Have you ever imagined a life that is better than what you are
living now?
 How does my human nature enable
me to explore my limits?

Our mind is an important tool that allows us

to go beyond many of our physical limits.
It must also be understood that as humans,
we have natural tendencies or inclinations.
Philosophy gives us useful tools to explore
our limitations and possibilities for
transcendence.
THINK: Activity #3

Explore your abilities and limitations.

List five (5) things that you can do
and you cannot do. Do you see
yourself overcoming the limitations
that prevented you from doing the
things you cannot do?
REVIEW

The human being is recognized not only

as a distinct species - Homo sapiens
sapiens, but as a unique being, an
individual person possessing awareness
of the self.
REVIEW

The human person possesses self-awareness

which refers to the awareness of oneself as
an active participant in reality. A person is
aware not only of his or her surroundings or
reality but also of himself or herself as a
participant in this reality.
REVIEW

The sense of self enables a person to look

within himself or herself and experience
interiority. Self-awareness also enables a
person to reach out to other persons and
establish meaningful relationships with
them.
REVIEW

Another trait that defines a human person is self-

determination. This refers to the awareness of one's
actions and the notion that oneself is the source of
an action. Self-determination is brought about by
the person's free will or the capability to act willfully
and control one's actions. Self-determination also
brings about the awareness of consequence - that
every action will have results or effects.
REVIEW

A human person is able to reach out and interact

with others. Man is a social being and a person
has a natural tendency to establish relationships
with other people. These interactions define our
existence and enable us to develop.
REVIEW

A human person has dignity, which is the recognition that

each person has a worth and value that go beyond
quantifiable terms. Each person is indispensable and
irreplaceable. Our human nature is the basis for the
recognition of dignity. Being human naturally gives us
dignity as persons. Human dignity is the basis for the
recognition of our human rights. Doing good actions and
upholding the good enable the person to uphold his or
her dignity.
REVIEW

The human person is an embodied spirit. This

means that both the human body and the spirit
define human nature and experience. The body and
spirit come together to form a whole, and this
integration defines the embodiment of the person.
The human person's nature as an embodied spirit
gives rise to the characteristics that define the
person and enables us to engage in profound,
meaningful experiences.
REVIEW

Our human nature makes transcendence possible.

It refers to our ability to explore and surpass our
limits. We are able to transcend our limits through
our physical and mental abilities. Our ability to
transcend drives us to become better persons and
to improve ourselves in every way. We can also
transcend our own selves, when we govern
ourselves towards what is proper to our nature as a
person.
REFLECT: Activity #4

Have you ever encouraged other

persons to try and surpass their limits?
If so, relate your experiences. If not,
describe how you will try and encourage
others to surpass their limits.