Module 4: Spirituality of a Human Person PDF

 What I Need to Know This module Spirituality of the Human Person aims to introduce the understanding of the nature of the human beings which focuses on the kind of substances or materials and capacities, the kind of life, the belief in spirituality, and the mode of existence that uniquely...

 What I Need to Know This module Spirituality of the Human Person aims to introduce the understanding of the nature of the human beings which focuses on the kind of substances or materials and capacities, the kind of life, the belief in spirituality, and the mode of existence that uniquely make up a human person. After going through this module, you are expected to: distinguish between metaphysical and existential approaches to the philosophical study of the human person; identify the three viewpoints of a metaphysical approach; and understands the human person as an unspirited body, disembodied spirit, and embodied spirit.  What I Know Direction: Name or describe six objects that are related to a concept. SPIRIT Spirituality of a Human Person “Spirit relates not to matter but to mind, soul, and feelings. Spirits can be loving, harmless or dangerous, fleeting or powerful, discreet or haunting, helping or hurting. Every person is precious by looking at the value of each person. Whether you believe in spirit or not, whether self-improvement, physical build-up, or religious matter, people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.” What’s In The Life of Tarzan (Extron) Tarzan was a small orphan who was raised by an ape since he was a child. Tarzan grows into a strong young boy with a penchant for mimicking animal noises, though he has a hard time keeping up with the moving clan. Ah he grows older, he learns to gain strength and inspiration from other animals in the jungle. He believed that this was his family, but on an expedition, Jane Porter is rescued by Tarzan, he then finds out that he’s human. Now Tarzan must decide as to which family he should belong to. What’s In Processing Questions: 1. How do you think was the lifestyle of Tarzan in the forest 2. Do you think Tarzan did wonder the uniqueness of his physical appearance among other animals in the jungle? 3. Which family do you think Tarzan should belong to? Why?  What’s New Nature of Human Persons In the story of Tarzan, it is evident that he has the “what” of a human person. He has the physical features and mental capacities the same with as human being. But while living with the apes, Tarzan then has the “who” of the who/how what ape. The attitudes and values of Tarzan are the same as an ape. This comprises the two approaches in understanding the nature of the human person – metaphysical “the what of a person” physical mental and existential “the how of a person”. In attitude values features capabilities this lesson, the metaphysical approach will be first discussed.  What is it The Human Body Encyclopedia Britannica defines the human body as the physical substance of the human organism, composed of living cells and extracellular materials and organized into tissues, organs, and systems. Philosophers on the other hand believe the body as any material object is with our perception. The body is an essential part of a person who considers being the medium or “tagapamagitan” between the self and the world (Tubo, 2017).  Body Definitions of Philosopher Lucretius Plato Descartes “Our body is the envelope “The soul never reasons “The word body is very equivocal. of the soul, which, in better than when it as When we speak of a body in turn, is the guardian and completely isolated itself by general, we mean a specific part protector.” sending the body walk.” of the material, and set the amount which the universe is composed. But when we speak of the body of a man or woman, we hear any matter which is united with the soul of man” Body Definitions of Philosopher Spinoza Leibniz “I mean a mode that the body “Each organic body of a living is a expresses the essence of God kind of divine machine, or as it is regarded natural automaton, which as something heard, in a infinitely surpasses all artificial certain and determined.” automata.” Body Definitions of Philosopher  Approaches to the Philosophical Study of the Human Person The “what” of a person deals not only with the physical body component but there is something beyond to this characteristic.” Metaphysical Approach o Each term emphasizes a certain aspect of the non-bodily o Metaphysical approach focuses component of a human person. on the minds of substances or (Mabaquiao, Jr., 2017) materials and capacities that uniquely make up a human a. Soul- emphasizes its life- person (Mabaquiao, Jr., 2017) giving function b. Mind- emphasize its o In the Metaphysical approach, consciousness there are three views on how c. Spirit- emphasizes its non- human beings encompass his body to mind, spirit, or soul. bodily, non-biological, or nonphysical nature  The Three Viewpoints of a Metaphysical Approach There are three philosophical viewpoints as to what essentially makes up a person. The spiritual component rise to the possibility of the question 01 02 03 Human Person is Human Person is Human Person is Unspirited Body Disembodied an Embodied Spirit Spirit 01 01 What is Human Person is Unspirited Body? o A human person is composed of a body o The terms "life" and "death" are thus only and do not have any spiritual nothing more than the common concepts component. of "biological life" and "biological death." o A man works according to a specific o Atheist- a person who believed in the behavior or pattern which means that proposition that God does not exist. man's next action is presumable by his previous actions dictated by his body o Agnostic- a person who has entertained system. the proposition that there is a God but believes neither that it is true nor that o No spirit or soul will dictate the man to it is false could also be the same do so, but the body system alone. persons to view that human persons are the unspirited body. 02 02 What is Human Person is Disembodied Body? o The imprisonment of the soul in the body o A human person is composed of a body, and thus the soul can still survive even mind, or soul or spirit separately. without the body. (Plato) o The spirit can exist outside of the body, o Disembodied spirit beings have an na the body cannot think. (Descartes & intense craving to occupy physical bodies Plato) the human body, animal body, or even plant bodies. The concept of demons and o Mind and body are distinct- “ mind body angels is also an example of a dualism” (Descartes) disembodied spirit. o The spirit comes to a great process of o For Christian believers, the moment you reincarnation or belief that, upon the die, your soul temporarily departs from death of the body, comes back to earth in another body of form. (Plato) your body to await the Resurrection, arising from the dead. 03 03 What is Human Person is an Embodied Spirit? o All living things have souls and proposed o A human person is composed of a body three types of soul: (Aristotle) and soul which is importantly connected 1. Vegetative Soul – kind of soul that is found in with each other. plants possessing the three basic requirements to be called a “living being”: the ability to o The body and soul are in a state of unity propagate, grow, and feed themselves. connected just like a single coin with 2. Sensitive Soul – kind of soul that is found in animals also possessing the ability to two faces. Another example is a knife - propagate, grow, and feed themselves. its material aspect is its metallic 3. Rational Soul – kind of soul for human beings composition while its formal aspect is its which also possesses the ability to propagate, capacity to cut. (Aristotle) grow, and feed themselves, and the capability of thinking. o Aristotle disagrees with Plato’s dualism o The soul is the form of the body, the bridge which he implies the concept of between the world of corporeal, a physical “otherworldliness” material body and of incorporeal, having no material existence. (Aquinas)  Among these three views, Mabaquiao Jr. (2017) cited at least three reasons why the embodied spirit view should be the most preferable: 1. It maintains human freedom, which is negated by the unspirited view. 2. It gives importance to the soul. It also acknowledges the value of the body, which disembodied view neglects. 3. It can accommodate opposing views on the immortality of the human soul. Discussion Questions: Which among the three viewpoints do you think is the most acceptable? Do you have the same thought as Mabaquiao, Jr.? Yes, or No? Why?  What’s More Direction: Fill in the table below with the following concepts/statements in their appropriate boxes. Unspirited Body Disembodied Spirit Embodied Spirit View View View Body and Soul 1. Human is 2. Composition separately composed of body, soul/mind/spirit. Philosopher/ Few unidentified 3. Aristotle and Aquinas Developer of the view scientists Man’s actions, 4. 5. beliefs, and emotions Philosophical View are all products of biological processes and not by any form of soul or spirit.  What I Have Learned ✓ Spirits can be loving, harmless or dangerous, fleeting or powerful, discreet or haunting, helping or hurting. ✓ Aristotle believes that the soul is the form of the body, while the body is the matter to the soul. Body and soul constitute the human person as a whole. ✓ Aristotle proposed three types of soul living things have: Vegetative Soul for plants, Sensitive Soul for animals, and Rational Soul – for human beings. ✓ An atheist is a person who believed in the proposition that God does not exist and an Agnostic is a person who has entertained the proposition that there is a God but believes neither that it is true nor that it is false. ✓ Metaphysical approach focuses on the minds of substances or materials and capacities that uniquely makes up a human person.  What I Have Learned ✓ Soul, mind, and spirit have their emphasis on a human person: Soul – emphasizes its life-giving function, Mind – emphasizes its consciousness, and Spirit – emphasizes its non-bodily, non-biological, or nonphysical nature. ✓ The human person as an “unspirited body view” believed that the human person is composed of the body only and does not have any spiritual component. Man’s actions, beliefs, and emotions are all products of biological processes. ✓ The human person as an “unspirited body view” believed that the human person is composed of the body only and does not have any spiritual component. Man’s actions, beliefs, and emotions are all products of biological processes. ✓ The human person as a “disembodied spirit view” believed that a human person is composed of body, mind or soul or spirit separately. Spirit does not depend on bodies to exist, such that minds can exist separated from anybody. ✓ Human Person as an Embodied Spirit view believed that the human person is composed of body and soul which is importantly connected with each other. Each will not survive in the absence of the other.  What I Can Do Differences in the belief of spirituality have been used over time to discriminate against people because of their views. Not everyone has spiritual beliefs. Some are too fanatic of their belief system and that is fine. Write an essay on how a senior high school student show respect to other beliefs in spirituality?  Resources/ Referrences Abbagnano, Nicola. Existentialism. 2020, HOMEPHILOSOPHY & RELIGION PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES Dangcalan, Meriam. Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon City: ERC Publishing House, 2018 Lanza, Robert. M.D. Does The Soul Exist? Evidence Says ‘Yes’ New scientific theory recognizes life’s spiritual dimension, Biocentrism, 2011, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/biocentrism/201112/does-the- soul-exist-evidence-says-yes Mabaquiao Jr, Napoleon. Making Life Worth Living: Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House, 2017 Philo-notes Learn Philosophy Online. The Human Person as an Embodied Spirit. 2018, https://philonotes.com/index.php/2018/12/01/the-human-person-as- an-embodied-spirit/ ReachOut.com. Respecting others’ spiritual beliefs. https://au.reachout.com/articles/respecting-others-spiritual-beliefs Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. The Mind/Brain Identity Theory. 2000, revision 2007, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/mind-identity/ The Basic of Philosophy. History of Existentialism. https://www.philosophybasics.com/branch_existentialism.html The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Human body. https://www.britannica.com/science/human-body Tubo, Dennis. Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Unlimited Books, Intramuros, Manila, 2017, pp. 43-44 Thank You!