Philosophy - Quarter 2 - Module 1 PDF

QUARTER 2 - MODULE 1: FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON Freedom – one of the most abused and misunderstood words during these times. A well- loved concept which ancestors fought for, yet poorly understood b...

QUARTER 2 - MODULE 1: FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON Freedom – one of the most abused and misunderstood words during these times. A well- loved concept which ancestors fought for, yet poorly understood by the present generation. There is always something in being free. People associate freedom with one’s ability to do whatever he or she wants  The concept of freedom is as wide as the universe. There are so many notions about it.  Some claim to be free means to do anything, regardless of their actions’ consequences.  Some say freedom is the ability to exercise one’s will towards the good. Others even say there is no such thing as freedom – that we are governed by natural law.  As learners who will face bigger decisions soon, it is important to see how your choices are made. Do you make decisions based on their impending consequences or you simply do it because it is what the present situation is asking from us?  HUMAN ACTIONS VS ACTS OF MAN HUMAN ACT - An act that is performed only by a human being and thus is proper to man.  What makes an act performed by a human being distinctively a human act is that it is voluntary, that is, an act in some way under the control or direction of the will, which is proper to man.  One can therefore identify the human activity with the voluntary act  A voluntary act continues either by the will - like an act of love or choice - or from another human power that may be motivated by the will, either by an act of intellect or by the sense of reasoning or emotion; ACTS OF MAN are actions shared by humans and other animals while human acts refer to the appropriate actions of human beings  In contrary to human acts, it is involuntary, instinctive and unintentional. BE READY FOR A SHORT QUIZ!! GET ¼ SHEET OF YELLOW PAPER Aristotle’s Distinction of Voluntary and Involuntary Actions Voluntary Actions - these are acts originating from the individual performing the act using knowledge about the situations of the act. Classifications of Voluntary Actions A. Voluntary – actions are performed from will and reason. B. Related to Compulsion - it is considered as mixed of voluntary and involuntary. It is more voluntary if the desire and choice has been performed and involuntary if it has considered preferences or alternatives. Example: You are asked to perform a crime and your options are; Aristotle’s Distinction of Voluntary and Involuntary Actions 2. Involuntary Actions – are acts done under a) force or coercion and b). ignorance where the doer failed to understand the effect and feels sorry on the result. Classifications of Involuntary Actions A.Under Compulsion – circumstances which are beyond the control of the agent and contributes none to the action. Example: A person was kidnapped, hence impossible to resist. B. Through Ignorance of Particular Circumstances. Example: a man steals and ignorant of the law, arrow or gun shot by mistake.  HUMAN FREEDOM AND OBLIGATION  According to John Mothershead, freedom and obligation are two indispensable conditions for morality to occur.  Freedom is understood to be present when one is choosing a course of action, and he or she is taking full responsibility for consequence of his actions.  Importantly, this is anchored to the individual’s moral and rational capacity to discern what is right and wrong.  Freedom can be said to be present if the human person is free in making choices in the realm of morality – that is, in making choices with regards to  HUMAN FREEDOM AND OBLIGATION  This can be summarized in our Filipino saying, “Buntot mo, hila mo!” It is taking full responsibility for your actions and being obliged to do so.  Hence, an action is not in the full extent of morality if a person does something while his or her freedom and rationality is altered or modified. This event can happen if the person’s environment highly affects his judgement.  QUESTION: When was the last time you see yourself escaping from the consequences of your actions? When was the last time you hide from the problems brought about  We have the tendency to blame others for their choice of a course of action. At present times, several marriages – most especially in the Philippines – are being brought to different courts of law to be annulled.  What is the main reason for this? Atty. Jim Lopez in one of his books says that most of the marriages which are tried in civil courts are sagas of unending throwing of blame and accusations between two lovers. Which can simply be solved had one of the parties make himself accountable for a problem which sit between them.  INTELLECTUAL CHOICE VS PRACTICAL CHOICE A.Intellectual Choice – This is a choice which is deliberately selected based on a moral standpoint. Basically, they are normative answers about what we ought to do from a moral system that we uphold and its moral principles.  These normative answers would take into consideration the behavior which the society will accept.  For example, when you are to decide in a moral issue, you can try to give intellectual choice as a normative answer. Here you are simply assuming because you B. Practical Choice – a choice which is borne out of psychological and emotional considerations. Unlike the previously discussed type of choice, practical choices are made when confronted with the actual situation, and usually affected by psychological aspect of the person embroiled in the moral situation or dilemma.  For instance, psychological and emotional stress and lack of time to deliberate during an actual moral situation may affect a person’s moral decision in that situation.  A person may be so engulfed by emotions that he may sometimes fail to make the right choice. Likewise, stress could make a person’s practical  Q2 - PERFORMANCE TASK #1 Get 1 whole yellow pad List 15 the things you know you should do but don’t  INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE TASK: GET 1 WHOLE YELLOW PAD. LISTEN TO YOUR TEACHER’S EXPLANATION FOR EACH MORAL DILEMMAS BEFORE ANSWERING.  Morality is defined as the principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior (Oxford Dictionary). What makes these questions dilemmas is an individual’s definition of right and wrong or good and bad. However, in a time when many question our national moral character, pondering what to do in various situations can be a positive exercise preparing an individual for worst and best case scenarios. A moral dilemma is a conflict in which a person must choose between two or more actions, all of which they have the ability to do. There are moral reasons for each choice. No matter which choice you make, someone will suffer or something bad will happen. In order to help you understand exactly what is meant by “moral dilemma” we have provided some examples, some of which are classic  MORAL DILEMMA 1 The Unfaithful Friend You go out with your husband for dinner at a new restaurant you have not frequented before. It is in a part of town you rarely visit. You are shocked to see your friend’s spouse having dinner with a very young, attractive person. From the way they are behaving, it is obvious they are more than friends. The couple finish their meal and leave without seeing you. They behave very affectionately on the way out the door. Do you: A. Tell your friend, knowing you probably will not be believed and that it may ruin your friendship? B. Say nothing about seeing the couple as it is none of  MORAL DILEMMA 2 A Difficult Choice You and your family love the beach and decide to spend a weekend at an isolated beach cabin. Your teenage daughter often gets bored on your getaways, so you make plans to take your niece along. As soon as you arrive, a storm is looming on the horizon and the water looks rough. You tell the girls they can get ready to swim, but to come back and help unload the car. They are so excited, they do not pay attention to the last part of what you say and run down to the beach to swim. You do not realize they have done so until you hear your daughter scream. You realize they are both caught in a strong  MORAL DILEMMA 2 A Difficult Choice Do you: A. Save your niece first as she is a poor swimmer and will not be able to last as long as your daughter? B. Save your daughter first, because, although she is a strong swimmer and may be able to last long enough for you to come back after saving your niece, you cannot stand the idea of losing her?  MORAL DILEMMA 3 An Office Theft You are in charge of the petty cash at the office. However, a co-worker is responsible for making a weekly trip to the bank to make the business deposit and obtain petty cash for the following week. In a conversation with your mutual supervisor, you are asked if the increase in the petty cash amount was enough. You, however, have not seen any additional money. You realize your co-worker has been pocketing the additional money. Do you:  MORAL DILEMMA 3 An Office Theft Do you: A. Tell your supervisor you have neither asked for nor received any additional petty cash and that you suspect your co-worker is pocketing the money? B. Tell your co-worker your suspicions and give them a chance to pay the money back? C. Say nothing and just wait to see what happens?  MORAL DILEMMA 4 MIDNIGHT DEATH You have worked years to be successful in your father’s business. You felt you were obligated to take over as he worked his whole life to build the business left to him by his father. However, the large businesses in town have seriously cut into profits and for several years you and your family have just managed to scrape by. Your father’s health has declined and he has been hospitalized. He has a substantial life insurance policy that expires at midnight. If he dies before midnight, you will inherit enough money to pursue a career you have always dreamed of and provide adequately for your family.  MORAL DILEMMA 4 Midnight Death Do you: A. Pinch the oxygen line making it possible for your Dad to die or smother him with a pillow? B.Tell your Dad the problem and let him suggest a solution and go by what he says? C. Do nothing as you cannot imagine living with yourself if you terminate your Dad’s life?  MORAL DILEMMA 5 GET RICH Your friend offers you an opportunity to make a great deal of money very quickly. He has arranged to set up an off- shore account for your profits. He will not tell you exactly how he is making this money, but you get the impression it is not exactly legal. He only wants an investment of $500 and promises you will have enough from your minimal investment that you will never need to work again. Do you: A. Give him the $500, deciding if you don’t know how he is making it, you’re in the clear? B. Demand to know the details before getting involved?  MORAL DILEMMA 6 Telling a Secret Your friend tells you that they committed a crime. They explain that they are having trouble sleeping at night and feel you are the only one they can trust with their confession. A few days later, you read in the paper that someone has been arrested for your friend’s crime. Do you: A. Go to the police and tell them what you know? B. Encourage your friend to confess and warn him if he does not do so, you will tell? C. Say nothing because you will not betray a friend’s  MORAL DILEMMA 7 The Life Boat You are on a cruise and the ship encounters an unexpected storm. The storm continues to rage and eventually you and the other passengers are told you must head to the lifeboats and abandon ship. As people begin to line up, you realize some lines have fewer people, some have families, and some seem to have younger, single people. You know you are strong and capable. Do you choose to help a group composed of three families with a few young children, a group of seniors who obviously could use your help, or go with the young, strong people, with whom you might have a better  MORAL DILEMMA 8 Sarcastic Friend Your friend has a great sense of humor. However, sometimes his jokes involve making fun of others in inappropriate ways. He will point out a physical flaw or look for something odd or different about a person and make an unkind comment. You feel uncomfortable when your friend does this. Do you say something or just laugh along with him?  MORAL DILEMMA 9 Third Strike Your teenager has had a rough few years. First came an arrest for shoplifting. The item was of little value, so it was only a misdemeanor. Then your teen was with some friends who were smoking pot and driving too fast. Your teen has promised they are turning over a new leaf and seem to be on the right track, doing better in school, coming home by curfew, and generally having a much better attitude. Now you get a call from the local police station saying your son was with a group of kids who broke into a liquor store and stole beer. Do you go to the station and see how you can get your teen out of this jam  MORAL DILEMMA 10 Reward a Job Well Done You understand the importance of team work in your job. You share ideas and responsibilities with your team members on a daily basis. In your weekly team meeting with your supervisor, one of your co-workers takes credit for a time and money saving change in operating procedures you devised. Your supervisor erroneously thinks your co-worker came up with the change and your co-worker does not correct the misinterpretation, but allows the boss to not only commend him, but offer a bonus. Do you go to your co-worker and demand he correct the situation, go to your supervisor and explain GET READY FOR A GROUP PERFORMANCE TASK! THERE WILL BE 10 GROUPS AND EACH OF THE GROUPS WILL RE-ENACT AND DO A ROLE PLAY FOR EACH MORAL DILEMMA ASSIGNED TO THEM. THE GROUP’S ROLE PLAY SHOULD SHOWCASE YOUR GROUP’S DECISION OR ANSWER FOR EACH MORAL DILEMMA. AT THE END OF THE PERFORMANCE, ASSIGN  INTELLECTUAL PRACTICAL CHOICE CHOICE 1.You caught your girlfriend/boyfriend texting and chatting other girls/boys 2. You failed almost all of your exams for the 1st quarter 3. Your crush confessed to you that he/she also likes you and wants to be in a relationship with you but there is a rumor that he/she hooks up with almost everyone 4. You got drunk last night and is suffering from a terrible hang over but you can’t afford to not go to work because your boss will have a bad impression about you 5. Your family life is in chaos and you want to runaway and  QUIZ #1 QUARTER 2 (1/2 YELLOW PAD) ESSAY: 1. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF MORALITY? 2. WHAT IS A DILEMMA? HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED A DILEMMA? EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER AND GIVE AN EXAMPLE. 3. DIFFERENTIATE INVOLUNTARY ACTIONS FROM VOLUNTARY ACTION 4. DIFFERENTIATE INTELLECTUAL CHOICE FROM A PRACTICAL CHOICE 5. IN A SEPARATE 1 WHOLE YELLOW PAD, COMPOSE A SPOKEN POETRY (TAGALOG OR ENGLISH) ABOUT YOUR OWN MEANING OF FREEDOM (ASIDE FROM THE WRITTEN TASK TODAY, YOU WILL BE INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE TASK #2 (100 PTS) DROP THE MIC! SPOKEN POETRY (TAGALOG OR ENGLISH)  WRITE ABOUT WHAT FREEDOM MEANS TO YOU AND YOUR OWN MEANING OF FREEDOM In 1704, it reveals the gift of God towards man – the gift of REASON and FREE WILL – as it says, “the human person participates in the light and power of the divine Spirit. By his REASON, he is capable of understanding the order of things established by the Creator. By FREE WILL, he is capable of directing himself toward his true good. He finds perfection in seeking and loving what is true and good.” The origin of freedom – a gift from God! REASON FREE WILL Faculty of intellect Faculty of the mind that is capable of which selects a desire understanding the at the moment of order of all things decision from among the that God created various desires present 1705 states the most important part of the doctrine: “by virtue of his soul and his spiritual powers of intellect and will, man is endowed with FREEDOM, an outstanding manifestation of the divine image.” Freedom originates from God as a gift to mankind. The very essence of man’s freedom is to do what is good and avoid what is evil. Free will is given to us to incline ourselves to the Supreme Being, and on that note is a