Understanding Human Composition and Embodied Spirit

Learning Objectives

• Students are expected to recognize personal limitations and possibilities.
• Students should evaluate limitations and possibilities for transcendence.
• Students should recognize how the human body affects limitations and possibilities for transcendence.
• Students need to distinguish limitations and possibilities for transcendence.

What is Embodied Spirit?

• Embodied spirit is the core of a person, driving thoughts, actions, and feelings.
• These feelings, insights, and fancies are considered private.

Human Composition of Man

• The terms "Man," "Person," "Human Nature," "Facticity," "Spatial-Temporal Being," and "The Body as Intermediary" are analyzed.

Man

• "Man" is the general term for the entire human race.
• Related terms include humanity, mankind, and humankind.

Human

• Human refers to the species Homo sapiens or modern human beings.
• The term human being is used to distinguish humans from other animals.

Person

• "Person" refers to the individual's personality and sense of self.
• Philosophers view the person as the totality of an individual with self-awareness, self-determination, and the ability to interact with others.

Human Nature

• Human nature defines the characteristics and traits that differentiate humans from other life forms.

What is the Human Person?

• A person has self-awareness, self-determination, the ability to interact with others, and dignity.

Self-awareness

• Self-awareness involves a person's clear perception of their thoughts, emotions, identity, and actions.

Try Saying These!

• Statements like "I am a person," "I am alive," "I exist," "I am here," and "I am living," are used as statements about existing as a person.

Limitations of the Human

• Human beings are naturally deficient regarding physical aspects compared to other organisms.

Limitations Can Lead to Possibilities

• Limitations can lead to and foster possibilities for change.
• Transcendence involves changing, being dynamic, and continuously redefining oneself within the limitations.

Transcendence

• According to Thomas Merton, understanding oneself comes from discovering the divine image within.
• Transcendence can involve struggling to reclaim one's own spirituality.
• The concepts of transcendental and transcendence include climbing or going beyond one's limitations.

Three Main Spiritual Philosophies on Transcendence

• The main spiritual philosophies studied include Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity.

Hinduism

• Hinduism emphasizes the quest for absolute truth, recognizing the soul's unity with the Brahman or Atman.
• Humans have spiritual and physical aspects; their eternal soul is bound by actions (karma).
• The goal of Hinduism is liberation (moksha) from the cycles of birth and death.

Buddhism

• Buddhism focuses on Siddhartha Gautama's teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path to inner peace.
• The Four Noble Truths explain that life inherently involves suffering caused by desires.
• The Eightfold Path aims to eliminate cravings and desires, achieving Nirvana.
• Nirvana involves gaining liberation from suffering through a rigorous path of self-discipline.

Christianity

•  In Christianity, the question of God's existence is already accepted or assumed.
•  Augustine (354-430 CE) associates philosophy with the love of wisdom (amor sapiential) and achieving happiness.
• Knowledge of God comes through faith, made complete by understanding
• Faith supports and complements reason.
• A human person achieves transcendence by knowing God, resulting in transcendent reality.
• Faith in God leads to self-transcendence.

Forgiveness

• Forgiveness is the ability to move past anger and bitterness caused by another person's actions or words.
• Conversely, the mind's hardness can be strengthened by logic and rational arguments.

Beauty and Nature

• Nature and beauty are sources of wonder and perfection, with everyday occurrences being miracles of grace.

Vulnerability

• Being vulnerable is part of being human.
• Acknowledging the need for others' assistance is an important aspect of self-awareness.
• Failures highlight our weaknesses and limitations, leading to greater understanding and hope toward a bigger world.

Loneliness

• Loneliness is a choice to live in an impossible world or to accept a life of solitude or companionship.
• We recognize our dependence upon others and gadgets through loneliness.

Love

• Love involves experiencing richness, positivity, and transcendence, which transcends beyond ourselves.

Dignity

• Dignity refers to the innate right to be valued and respected.
• Philosophers consider human beings inherently valuable and worthy.