Week 5-Day 1-4 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person PDF 2021-2022

PASAY CITY SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL Piccio Garden, Villamor Airbase, Pasay City Brgy 183 Subject Area: Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person Week _5-Day 1-4_ / 1st Quarter / SY 2021-2022 Name o...

PASAY CITY SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL Piccio Garden, Villamor Airbase, Pasay City Brgy 183 Subject Area: Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person Week _5-Day 1-4_ / 1st Quarter / SY 2021-2022 Name of Student: Subject Teacher: Grade and Section: Date: Day 1 SELF-AWARENESS – refers to the person having a clear perception of oneself, including his or her Topic: The Human Person as an Embodied Spirit thoughts, emotions, identity and actions. A. Lesson Objectives: PLATO – One of the earliest theories regarding ✓ Recognize how the human body imposes human nature came from the Greek philosopher limits and possibilities for transcendence. Plato. Let us once again look at Plato’s division of worlds- the world of ideas and the world of senses- to ✓ Evaluate own limitations and the understand the concept of a human being. Plato possibilities for their transcendence. considers the world of ideas as the world of B. Discussion: perfections. It is in the world of ideas where eternal What is a Human Being? Who Am I? truths reside. The things in our physical world (the Philosophers were initially concerned with world of senses), on the other hand, are not real. defining the essential characteristic that makes a For Plato, human being is composed of body and person human. Philosophers have long pondered soul, but he argues that the human is essentially his human nature, what it means to be human and what soul. Prior to human beings’ existence in the physical sets us apart from other beings and things in world (of the senses) the soul is residing in the world existence. Many agree that this essential of ideas, so that the original condition of human characteristic is nothing else but our being rational beings is that of a soul. beings. Our rationality makes us superior to all others because it is the highest form of activity and And as we acquire bodies during birth in the no other being has it. physical world, we are subjected to different kinds of limitations, including forgetfulness of the Pondering our human nature allows us to truths that we have encountered in the world of ideas. determine the special traits that make us humans Consequently, Plato looks at the body with contempt unique species. Further reflection on our nature as because of its source of errors. The body together humans will also help us figure out what makes us with everything in the world of senses, is therefore special as individuals and how this uniqueness is considered as having less or even no value at all. shared with our fellow human beings. Plato even considers the body as a prison of the soul, The following terms are related to the discussion of which prompts him to set the ideal of liberating the the human person: soul from the body. MAN – is generally and commonly used to refer to the Another important idea in Plato’s concept of a entire human race. human being is the soul’s division into three parts: reasoning, spiritedness, and appetites. According to HUMAN – refers to a man as a species (homo Plato, the human society is nothing more than an sapiens). enlarged human being. Just as a society is composed by three types of citizens (rulers, HUMAN BEING – used to distinguish man from other soldiers, and workers) so is the human soul divided animals. into three parts: reasoning-head; spiritedness PERSON – refers to a human being granted with emotions and appetite desires). For Plato, the ideal rights, protection, responsibilities, and dignity. relationship among parts is for the reasoning part to rule over the appetitive part and the spirited part. PERSONHOOD – refers to the state of being a Why? Because if our lives are ruled by our stomach- person with unique, sacred, and ethical status within our appetites, then it would be difficult for us to live a him/herself. good life because we will be enslaved by our appetites. And we do not only mean appetite for HUMAN NATURE – refers to the characteristics that food, but all kinds of appetites including appetite for distinguish humans from all other creatures. money, power, fame, sex etc. it is the same thing jennifer quidato 1 with the spirited part. A life ruled by feelings and A. World of Imaginations emotions will not be a good life. We know that things B. World of Intellect don’t go well when we let our emotions C. World of Ideas dictate our actions. D. World of Wonders “Plato’s idea of a good life is ruled by reason. As 3. Where do eternal truths reside according to the rational part knows what is good, it must Plato? A. World of Imaginations be able to control and direct its appetitive and B. World of Intellect spirited parts. C. World of Ideas C. ACTIVITY (10 pts.) D. World of Wonders 4. What are the soul’s division or parts according to Imagine that you were given the task to describe Plato? the human species to an alien, how will you A. heart, body, and mind describe the human beings? Write your B. mind, body, and soul description in the box below. C. reasoning, spiritedness, and appetites D. head, chest, and stomach 5. What term is used to distinguish man from other animals? A. Human C. Person B. Man D. Human being Day 2 Topic: The Human Person as an Embodied Spirit A. Lesson Objectives: ✓ Recognize how the human body imposes limits and possibilities for transcendence. ✓ Evaluate own limitations and the possibilities for their transcendence. B. Discussion ARISTOTLE - Aristotle was Plato’s most famous student. Like Plato, Aristotle also believes that human beings are composed of body and soul. However, it is how the soul being related to the body that Aristotle D. EXERCISE (10 pts.) What is Plato’s idea of a differs from Plato. Aristotle considers things as good life? Is it evident these days? Explain your composed of two co-principles which he calls answer. matter and form. Form is the principle which actualizes a thing and makes a thing what it is, while _________________________________________ matter is viewed as the potentiality to receive the _________________________________________ form. In short, form is viewed as act while matter is _________________________________________ viewed as potency. It should always be noted _________________________________________ that matter and form are not complete realities, but _________________________________________ only co-principles of a thing (substance). _________________________________________ And as co-principles, matter and form do not exist in _________________________________________ themselves separately. _________________________________________ In relation to the human being, Aristotle claims E. EVALUATION: MULTIPLE CHOICE that the form refers to the soul while matter refers Choose the letter of the best answer. to the body. And since matter and form- body and soul- are co-principles, the 1. What term is generally used to refer to the entire soul cannot exist apart from the body. The soul can human race? never be found existing independently of the body. A. Human C. Person Even if the soul is considered as non-material part of B. Man D. Human being the body, still it cannot have an independent 2. What do Plato considered as the world of existence as Plato claims. For Aristotle, a human perfections? jennifer quidato 2 being is always composite of body and soul. undoubtedly existing, is simply a thing that thinks. For Aristotle divides the function of the soul into three Descartes, the existence of the soul (i.e the thinking dimensions: nutrition, sensation, and intellection. The thing) is more distinct and clearer than the existence nutritive function is that which we share with plants, of the body, leaving us with the idea that man is more while the sensitive function is that which we share certain of the existence of his soul than the existence with other animals. The human soul as an of his body. animating principle is far greater than the animating principle of plants and other animals C. ACTIVITY (10 pts.) because of the higher function of intellection. What do you think is/are the implication(s) of the soul It is the intellective function which not only being immortal? Is there any practical consequences separates us from all other beings, but also in your life if the soul is immortal or not? defines us as human beings. D. EXERCISE (10 pts) The concept of function must be further explained What does Aristotle mean when he said that to be a in considering what a human being is. Its good refers human being means to practice its highest to the practice of his functions. However, it is not just function? the practice of any of its functions, but the practice of its highest and distinctive function, i.e. the _________________________________________ INTELLECTIVE function. _________________________________________ _________________________________________ A human being who just practices his nutritive and _________________________________________ sensitive functions can hardly be called a human _________________________________________ being. Without the practice of the intellective _________________________________________ functions, the quality of being human is always put _________________________________________ into question. The practice of intellective function as _________________________________________ essential for being human, it is clear then for _________________________________________ Aristotle that to be a human being means to _________________________________________ practice its highest function, and we therefore _________________________________________ say that human beings are rational animals. _____ DESCARTES - The French philosopher Rene E. EVALUATION (Multiple Choice) Descartes widened the gap between the body and soul even more as he sets out to prove Choose the letter of the best answer. that the only thing in this world which cannot be 1. In Aristotle’s analogy, what does he refer to as doubted is the existence of the thinking self. He form? began doubting everything that had previously been A. Mind C. Soul considered as knowledge. Claiming that the senses B. Body D. Spirit are the sources of previously established knowledge 2. What compose a human being according to and that the senses are not reliable, Descartes Aristotle? argued that we should doubt everything that is A. body and soul C. body and mind delivered to us by our senses. The only thing which B. mind and soul D. mind and spirit he can’t doubt was he doubts, which is a form of 3. What is considered as matter in human beings thinking. He may doubt his bodily existence because according to Aristotle? he can be deceived by his senses. A. Mind C. Soul B. Body D. Spirit But he cannot doubt his thinking because his 4. Who said that “senses are not reliable? thinking requires a subject- the thinker. And A. Plato C. Karl Jaspers the more he rejects his existence, the more he B. Aristotle D. Rene Descartes becomes certain that he exists. Thus, he establishes 5. What is the meaning of the existence of the soul his own reality with the famous line: “I think, therefore, for Rene Descartes? I am.” The subject I however, of this claim does not A. The soul is the thinking thing that cannot be refer to man or to rational animal. doubted. B. The soul exists because man has a body. Descartes did not prove the existence of man C. The soul can be perceived by the senses. when he pronounced “ I think, therefore, I am” D. Man is more certain of the existence of the soul because man or rational animal is a vague concept. than his body. The I, which Descartes established as jennifer quidato 3  Day 3 person’s inner world. These emotions and ideas are given to another person who, because of interiority, Topic: The Human Person as an Embodied recognizes the thoughts that the other wishes to Spirit convey. A. Lesson Objectives: C. ACTIVITY (5 pts.) Discuss how embodiment is demonstrated in the Recognize how the human body following situations. (you may also use an imposes limits and possibilities for extra sheet of paper) transcendence. 1. Lucia likes to listen to classical music. She listens Evaluate own limitations and the to music when she paints, it inspires her to make possibilities for their transcendence. beautiful landscapes on their canvas. _________________________________________ B. Discussion _________________________________________ HOW ARE THE BODY AND THE SPIRIRT _________________________________________ RELATED? _________________________________________ Philosophers consider human person as 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. 2. Miguel is very sad. His girlfriend just broke up This means that we cannot separate the two and with him and has spent the whole day in his room. they go hand-inhand in making us who we are. He keeps going over their old photographs in Whatever affects the body also affects the spirit, happier times while listening to their favorite songs and this unique trait of the person enables him or on the radio. her to experience both the physical world and the spiritual world. Embodiment enables us to do and _________________________________________ _________________________________________ experience all the things that make us human _________________________________________ persons. Philosophers argue that _________________________________________ reducing a profound experience such as love to _________________________________________ biological functions, or the activities of certain body _________________________________________ parts is illogical. We love not just with the heart nor with the brain, but we love another person ______ with our entire being. 3. Patricia nervously waits to be called to perform Embodiment, therefore, is the one thing that on stage for her recital. She looks toward the enables us to feel love and love others. audience and sees her family. Her father does the “thumbs up” sign and smiles at her. She smiles back Our experience is also a product of embodiment. and she can feel her nervousness disappearing The human mind processes information through the senses, which are experienced through the _________________________________________ body. Being an embodied spirit, the person is able _________________________________________ to encounter the world of objects in a manner that _________________________________________ transcends the physical. This feature of the person _________________________________________ allows him or her to form an intimate relationship with those outside him or her. Human embodiment _________________________________________ allows persons to attach certain feelings or ideas _________________________________________ not only to people, but also to objects. ______ 4. Ramon carries a picture of his family with him in For example, a pair of rubber slippers may not his wallet. Whenever he gets a break from working mean so much to most people, but a particular pair I the oil fields in Saudi Arabia, He takes the picture of rubber slippers could be someone’s treasure. out and imagines himself with his family back in the How is this possible? Because the pair of rubber Philippines. slippers in question is not just a material object to someone, but it _________________________________________ could be something meaningful 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 ______________________________________________ jennifer quidato 4 D. EVALUATION: Multiple Choice everything around us and even within us, our human nature still imposes limitations. The ability to Choose the letter of the best answer. surpass limits is called transcendence, and it is 1. Kurt is a tall person with brown hair and brown also important trait that distinguishes the human eyes. What aspect of the human person is being person from other beings in existence. Our mind is described in the statement? A. Cognitive Self C. Psychological Self an important tool that allows us to go beyond many B. Physical Self D. Sociological Self of our physical limits. 2. Marie is very cheerful and friendly to her Although we have physical limitations, we can classmates. What aspect of the human person Is transcend them because of our spiritual dimension. being described in the statement? Being physically limited in our abilities does not A. Cognitive Self C. Psychological Self prevent us from hoping for or aspiring for greater B. Physical Self D. Sociological Self things. It must also be understood that as human 3. What term refers to the deepest and natural persons, we have natural tendencies or inclinations. behavior of a person that distinguish human Transcendence also means overcoming oneself or from animal? being in control even if the body reminds us of A Human being C. Man certain tendencies. B. Human nature D. Person While these tendencies are felt, the person can 4. Which of the following BEST describe the govern then and ensure that they are exercised concept of embodiment? within the bounds of reason. A person who has no A. Human person is essentially his/her body control over his or her eating habit eventually and nothing more. becomes unhealthy and develops an eating B. Human person is essentially his/her spirit disorder; a person who allows the pleasures of and nothing more. dangerous drugs to rule over him becomes a drug C. Human person is essentially the unity of his/her body and spirit. addict. D. Human person is essentially a separate entity of the body and spirit. C. ACTIVITY (10 pts.) 5. A criminal who have committed a heinous Explore your abilities and limitations. In the “I can” offense can still be considered a human person column, write down the skills and abilities that define despite of his cruelty and inhumane act. The you as a person. In the “I cannot” column, list down statement is __________, the things you have tried to do but could not A. True, the dignity is still retained despite his because of your personal limitations. actions because it is his inherent right. B. False, the dignity of humans are removed once they don’t treat other people just and right. C. Neither a nor b D. None of the above Day 4 Topic: The Human Person as an Embodied Spirit A. Lesson Objectives: Recognize how the human body imposes limits and possibilities for transcendence. D.EXERCISE (5pts each) Evaluate own limitations and the 1. What enabled you to do things you identified in possibilities for their transcendence. the first column? B. Discussion ________________________________________ ________________________________________ HOW DOES MY HUMAN NATURE ENABLE ME ________________________________________ TO EXPLORE MY LIMITS? ________________________________________ ________________________________________ Though the nature of the person as an embodied ________________________________________ spirit provides numerous opportunities to explore jennifer quidato 5 2. Do you see yourself overcoming the limitations A. Vincent can still be considered a human person that prevented you from doing things you stated in despite losing a part of his identity the second column? Explain your answer. B. Vincent is not fully considered a human person since he lacks one aspect. ________________________________________ C. Neither A nor B ________________________________________ D. None of the above. ________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________ GENERALIZATION Philosophy gives us useful tools to explore our limitations and possibilities for transcendence. The essence of transcendence is to acknowledge our limitations, identify possibilities for development, and change ourselves for the better. It may be physical or behavioral change such as trying a new sport or hobby or adopting a healthier lifestyle. You can also take on mental challenge such as learning a new skill or doing better in your studies. Another aspect of transcendence is opening yourself to new experience and ideas. Our capacity to transcendence gives us opportunity to work toward becoming better versions of ourselves E. EVALUATION Multiple Choice Choose the letter of the best answer. 1. What are the soul’s division or parts according to Plato? A. heart, body, and mind B. mind, body, and soul C. reasoning, spiritedness, and appetites D. head, chest, and stomach 2. What term refers to the deepest and natural behavior of a person that distinguish human from animal? A Human being C. Man B. Human nature D. Person 3. What is considered as matter in human beings according to Aristotle? A. Mind C. Soul B. Body D. Spirit 4. What is the meaning of the existence of the soul for Rene Descartes? A. The soul is the thinking thing that cannot be doubted. B. The soul exists because man has a body. C. The soul can be perceived by the senses. D. Man is more certain of the existence of the soul than his body. 5. Vincent loses his arm and leg due to a car accident. He loses a part of his physical body which makes up his physical identity. Which of the following statements is true about the concept of embodiment? jennifer quidato 6 jennifer quidato 7 jennifer quidato 8 jennifer quidato 9 jennifer quidato 10 jennifer quidato 11 jennifer quidato 12