Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person Grade 12 PDF

Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person GRADE 12 - STEM A | SEM 1 | SECOND QUARTER HUMAN FREEDOM AND OBLIGATION Module 1: Freedom and According...

Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person GRADE 12 - STEM A | SEM 1 | SECOND QUARTER HUMAN FREEDOM AND OBLIGATION Module 1: Freedom and According to John Mothershead, freedom and Responsibility 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. HUMAN ACTIONS VS ACTS OF MAN Importantly, this is anchored to the individual’s moral and rational capacity to discern what is right and An act that is performed only by a human being wrong. and thus is proper to man. Not every act that a human being does is a distinctively human act. Some acts that human beings do are performed also by In several meta-ethical traditions obligation usually animals, e.g., vegetative acts and acts of perception follows or arrives from freedom. Freedom can be said and emotion. When a human being does such acts, to be present if the human person is free in making they are called acts of man but not human acts. Acts of choices in the realm of morality – that is, in making man are actions shared by humans and other choices with regards to determining what is the right animals while human acts refer to the appropriate thing to do in situations and circumstances in his own actions of human beings. What makes an act life. This can be summarized in our Filipino saying, performed by a human being distinctively a human act “Buntot mo, hila mo!” It is taking full responsibility for is that it is voluntary, that is, an act in some way under your actions and being obliged to do so. Hence, an the control or direction of the will, which is proper to action is not in the full extent of morality if a person man. One can therefore identify the human activity with does something while his or her freedom and rationality the voluntary act. A voluntary act continues either by is altered or modified. This event can happen if the the will - like an act of love or choice - or from person’s environment highly affects his another human power that may be motivated by the judgement. When was the last time you see yourself will, either by an act of intellect or by the sense of escaping from the consequences of your actions? reasoning or emotion; even a gesture commanded by the will can be a voluntary act. When was the last time you hide from the problems brought about by your irresponsible actions? We have the tendency to blame others for their choice of a course of action. At present times, several marriages – Aristotle’s Distinction of Voluntary and Involuntary most especially in the Philippines – are being brought to Actions different courts of law to be annulled. What is the main reason for this? Atty. Jim Lopez in one of his books Voluntary Actions - these are acts originating from the says that most of the marriages which are tried in civil individual performing the act using knowledge about the courts are sagas of unending throwing of blame and situations of the act. accusations between two lovers. Which can be simply be solved had one of the parties make himself 1. Classifications of Voluntary Actions accountable for a problem which sit between them. A. Voluntary – actions are performed from will and reason. B. Related to Compulsion - it is considered as INTELLECTUAL CHOICE VS PRACTICAL CHOICE 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. A. Intellectual Choice – This is a choice which is Example: You are asked to perform a crime and your deliberately selected based on a moral standpoint. options are; either you do it and your family survives or Basically, they are normative answers about what we you don’t do it but they will be murdered. ought to do from a moral system that we uphold and its moral principles. These normative answers would take 2. Involuntary Actions – are acts done under a) force or into consideration the behavior which the society will coercion and b). ignorance where the doer failed to accept. For example, when you are to decide in a moral understand the effect and feels sorry on the result. issue, you can try to give intellectual choice as a normative answer. Here you are simply assuming Classifications of Involuntary Actions because you are not, as it were, facing that actual moral A. Under Compulsion – circumstances which are situation described in the dilemma. In this case, the beyond the control of the agent and contributes none to answers that you are inclined to give are prescriptive in the action. this imaginary and hypothetical situation. Example: A person was kidnapped, hence impossible to resist. B. Practical Choice – a choice which is borne out of psychological and emotional considerations. Unlike the B. Through Ignorance of Particular Circumstances. previously discussed type of choice, practical choices are Example: a man steals and ignorant of the law, arrow or made when confronted with the actual situation, and gun shot by mistake. 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 1 | MEARL DANZELLE M. MAGALUYAN Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person GRADE 12 - STEM A | SEM 1 | SECOND QUARTER person’s moral decision in that situation. A person may be practical humanism. There is an emphasis on so engulfed by emotions that he may sometimes fail to make the right choice. Likewise, stress could make a human actions in sociality. He calls every man person’s practical choice inconsistent with his intellectual to love the other through actions, not through choice. thoughts. 2. Martin Buber (1878-1965) – is a Jewish Module 2: Intersubjectivity philosopher who introduced the “I-Thou” and “I-It” relationships to embody his philosophy of intersubjectivity. For Buber, we have to treat Intersubjectivity in General another person as a subject (a being different from things or objects). Persons are not Philosophy, unlike Theology, does not use primarily inanimate objects to be used. They have their biblical texts in its pursuit, though some religious texts own mind and free will, thus, we have to are morally worthy to be examples in explaining respect others as we respect ourselves. “I” philosophical ideas like the previous reading we had. refers to the self and “Thou” or “You” refers to The Parable of the Good Samaritan clearly explains the phenomenon of intersubjectivity in the human world. others. This “IThou” relationship is the most Though it focuses on the Kingdom of God, it still meaningful relationship in the realm of validates the importance of intersubjective relations of humanity. The “I” is the same with the “Thou” man. and there should be mutual relationship between them. We can only recognize the self Intersubjectivity is a coined word from the prefix in the context of the other. This is a “inter” which connotes “among and between” and the philosophical term “subject” that is equivalent to a “person-to-person” relationship, conscious being. Thus, intersubjectivity would mean in “subject-to-subject” relation. We need to the general sense as “sharing of subjective states by accept, respect, be sincere, and have dialogue two or more individuals.” (Scheff 2006). It is the organic with the other. union of the subjective reality and the objective reality 3. Karol Wojtyla (1920-2005) – He is also St. of beings. Meaning to say, as a person, we have a John Paul II but as a philosopher, we use his personal regard to self but we cannot deny the fact real name. For Wojtyla, human action is the (objective – fact of reality we all share) that we live with others so we also regard them as part of ourselves. We foundation of our being. But human reality is tend to place ourselves in others’ shoes and relate to also about being with others, so our actions are them in good ways as possible like what is shown in the also directed towards others. This form of comic strip below: action is now called “Participation.” In the theory of participation, man has the capacity to share himself to others. This affirms the reality that man acts and exists with others. He is a member of the community of persons, a community of “I-You” or “We.” Since man is a member of this community, his experience with others gives him meaning and allows him to create meaning with others What Philosophers Say About Intersubjectivity Module 3: Human Person and Society Intersubjectivity is universal. It exists when and where humans exist. It is an undeniable reality which thinkers A. Pre-Industrial Societies could not help but discuss. Here are some philosophers who took philosophical inquiry on intersubjectivity: are unwritten which provides a narrow extent of communication. At the same time, tribal societies show 1. Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) – one of the a self-sustaining structure which is absent in the modern society. This is achieved by the close main ideas of Confucianism is Ren or connections that exist between tribal organizations, and “human-heartedness.” It is a virtue central to by the focusing of a leader or person to multiple roles. man that can be found in his sociality or Unity and coherence exist in tribal values that are intersubjectivity. In his philosophy, Confucius closely related to social groups and are provided with stresses order and harmony in the world. His an intensity characteristic of all “closed” systems of aims can be achieved through practical, thought. concrete, particular, and perceptual ways. This means Confucian thinking on intersubjectivity is 2 | MEARL DANZELLE M. MAGALUYAN Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person GRADE 12 - STEM A | SEM 1 | SECOND QUARTER ❖ b. Feudal Society - Feudalism refers to the b. the replacement of manual laborers with economic, political, and social system that technical and professional workers (computer prevailed in Europe from about the ninth to the engineers, doctors, and bankers) as the direct fifteenth century. Due to the lack of effective production of goods is moved elsewhere; centralized government during this period, c. the replacement of practical knowledge with kings and lords granted land and provided theoretical knowledge; protection to lesser nobles known as vassals. d. focusing to the theoretical and ethical In return, these vassals swore oaths of loyalty implications of new technologies, which helps and military service to their lords. Peasants society avoid some of the negative features of known as serfs were bound to the land and introducing new technologies, concerning were subject to the will of their lords. One social environment and energy; class system or economic form was not e. the development of recent scientific realized for Europe over the whole Middle disciplines—that involve new forms of Ages. A new economy after medieval period information technology, cybernetics, or artificial known as capitalism is still in progress. intelligence—to evaluate the theoretical and Medieval world is known for its traditional land ethical implications of new technologies; economy and military service, and an urban f. an emphasis on the university and society. These led to a feudal-based polytechnic institutes which produce graduates social-class system and trade & commerce who innovate and lead the new technologies based on money or capital. For the urban or contributing to a postindustrial society; and town environment, merchants, artisans, and g. the changing values and norms which customers formed the core of the society. They reflects the influences on the society. In an saw manufacture as the most important instance, outsourcing of manufactured goods business to produce goods for sale and buy in changes how members of a society see and the local market economy. Local products was treat foreigners and immigrants. Also, those to have an impact in other areas, such as individuals previously occupied in the regional fairs, port cities, and far trade manufacturing sector find themselves with no destinations. clearly defined social role. B. Industrial society DIGITAL SOCIETY AND THE INFORMATION AGE is the one which uses advance technology to drive a Digital technologies have wildly affected our masssive production industry that will support a large interactions and activity in the 21st century. They have population. For example, the United States is an significantly changed our way of learning, working and industrial society because a huge portion of its socializing. In this modern world we rely with the use of economy is tied to jobs that involve machine work, like modern technology which has led to considering the factory farming or auto-assembly plants, that has a possible outcome for the society, concerning how we combination of machine and human employees to would take part in interaction, and how we can use produce goods. The objective of an industrial economy these digital tools and communication channels. is the fast and efficient manufacturing of standardized products. The same goes if one avails a car, there is a Having our heads of digital society in our minds, we chance that the car was mass produced because it first have to think of the information society; which are operates similarly to other models, and its parts can be correlated with the progress and development of digital replaced with other parts because they are identical. information and communication technologies to the internet at least. Information society plays a vital role with regards to the circulation and control of made-up C. Post Industrial Society ideas which affects political, economic, social and cultural aspects. So, what does this mean for the everyday citizen? - is marked by a progress from a manufacturing-based. These informative societies have paved many to a service-based economy. Post industrialization is opportunities reaching bigger audiences like never most evident in countries and regions that were among before. With a wider scale of the world’s demography, the first to experience the Industrial Revolution, such as primarily Westerners, have access to sources and the United States, western Europe, and Japan. Daniel technologies which enables them to connect with Bell, an American sociologist, first coined the term enough activities whether economic, social, political, or ‘post-industrial’ in 1973 in his book “The Coming of educational. We can manipulate the phasing of learning Post-Industrial Society: A Venture in Social (e.g. free sources) or businesses (e.g. online selling) Forecasting,” which describes several features of this without a large sum of money used as a capital and we kind of society. Post-industrial societies are can share our ideas and perspectives to the characterized by: international audiences as we connect beyond a. a shift from the production of goods to the production of services; What do we mean by digital citizenship? 3 | MEARL DANZELLE M. MAGALUYAN Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person GRADE 12 - STEM A | SEM 1 | SECOND QUARTER Now, one of the main terms in the modern world is the the virtual world. Commitment is hard. To commit is to ‘digital citizen’. What does this actually mean? A digital risk. In the virtual world, one’s anonymity lessens, if not citizen is a person who is knowledgeable and responsible completely removes risks. When we are confronted with enough to effectively use different social platforms in the real social problems like war and famine, discrimination internet. They often engage in useful topics and issues harassment and corruption; we let the world know that that will help build a better society, politics and we condemn these evils and express participation in government. If we will dig deeper, digital citizenship might the abolition of these problems. How? By a futile click to look simple. We might think that it is just about using the like. People in the modern technological society internet safely. However, we also need to consider and ultimately make no real commitments understand that this citizenship can get complicated, especially if we are going to criticize and show interest in sensitive topics as we start to become a digital citizen, using digital media to actively participate in society and THE DISEMBODIED SUBJECT politics. The dissatisfaction and frustration of the human person If we look a little closer at the field of ‘citizenship studies’ with bodily limitations drive the person to prefer a this will lead us to a better understanding of what digital disembodied human relation. At the outset, it must be society really means. A citizen is defined as an individual clarified that the term disembodied subject does not character who is viewed as a member of a society while citizenship considers an individual’s behavior in terms of mean that in the technological society, human persons rights, obligations and functions of said citizen. Being a are no longer living with their bodies. However, in a citizen of a state requires tons of obligations and duties manner of speaking, people are slowly putting aside such as work, taxation and obedience of laws. On the their bodies in relating with others because the other hand, citizens also have their rights, it includes civil technological society offers an alternative which rights such as freedom of speech and expression, to stand apparently resolves human of an embodied subject. for what we believe in, and rights to a private life; political Faceto-face interaction is too stressful and difficult while rights, or the right to vote and social rights to health care virtual interactions are relatively easier. Consequently, and welfare.In this course we will tackle these rights as we we find many cases where people prefer look at real definition of what it means to be a citizen in the communicating using virtual world, even if the person modern society and how legislation and the government involved is someone seen on a regular basis. Moreover, shape our ability to be democratic citizens who can stand the disembodied interaction among people is for the truth. aggravated by modern technological devices. The different gadgets that are produced today support disembodied human relations. The scene which the What does this all mean then in the digital age? technological society creates is very familiar to us: we see a family, or friends, gathered around a table or in a We have said that being a digital citizen requires active room, but with very minimal actual embodied human participation online, not just access and use. In their interaction. Everyone is glued to their devices – book “Being Digital Citizens” (2015) Isin and Ruppert cellphones, tablets, laptops, or any device and they are suggest that if we constitute ourselves as digital all probably interacting with their virtual societies. One citizens, we have become subjects of power in is busy with other things other than the persons within cyberspace. We are enacting ourselves on the internet, the room or in the closest proximity. The kind of human considering and understanding the opportunities interaction, which was still present just two decades presented by this medium, such as anonymity, ago, is obviously altered now. And however much we communication, and influence. In short, we can use try and remind ourselves to refrain from being alone digital technologies to engage and participate on many with our devices while being with others, we always fall levels in society and political life. back into interacting with our gadgets. We prefer to interact with our phones with the unfinished game that The virtual society and the technological devices today we are playing, with the new music and movies we are starting to reshape the human person and human downloaded, or with our friends who are probably in the interactions and relationships. More and more situation – with other people as well, but alone with their interactions are done in the virtual world than in the devices too. Interacting with actual embodied subjects, actual world. People are more thrilled to see their virtual face-to-face, is becoming more and more difficult today. selves than their actual selves. They are more It is indeed more difficult to relate to other embodied themselves online than offline. And this leads one to subjects than to relate with things. ask, “Who am I?” in a more complex manner. People seem to start manipulating personalities as they exhibit The practice of selfie is another move towards different behaviors in different worlds. People fall in love disembodied human relations. People used to approach in virtual worlds. Someone breaks up with a partner other people to take their photos. But the regained through a text message. Human relations seem to start popularity of selfie gave people the idea that they do losing an important element in living – commitment. not need the other to take photos. And the invention of Virtual worlds and disembodied relations lack the monopod aggravates the condition. The monopod commitment. We can always step back and retreat in a allows us to take group selfies without missing a virtual world. We can always create a new self when member of our group. It has solidified the person to our avatars die or when it has become undesirable. We take our photos. Maybe we will just disturb the person can always ignore message. Virtual realities remove by asking him to take our photo. But maybe we are risks; and because we do not want to risk, we patronize 4 | MEARL DANZELLE M. MAGALUYAN Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person GRADE 12 - STEM A | SEM 1 | SECOND QUARTER more afraid of being rejected than by the idea of cannot remove from our existence. Whether we like it or bothering the other. not, we will die. Death is indefinite. While death is sure to come, it is however indefinite as to when it will come. Death is impending, meaning to say, it can happen anytime. We do not know exactly when. That is why, we should try to live the best life that we can for we never know the day of our end. Death is one’s property. The death of the person belongs to him. Nobody can experience his death except himself. There can be no proxies or substitutes for a person in experiencing death. The virtual society and the technological devices today are starting to reshape the human person and human Death is non-relational. This means that when we die, interactions and relationships. More and more we die alone. We have no choice but to face it on our interactions are done in the virtual world than in the own. Death also removes all our relations to others. In actual world. People are more thrilled to see their virtual contemplating death, we realize our own individuality selves than their actual selves. They are more and independence from the world. themselves online than offline. And this leads one to ask, “Who am I?” in a more complex manner. People Death is not to be outstripped. Death cannot be seem to start manipulating personalities as they exhibit taken away from a person. Even the person himself different behaviors in different worlds. People fall in love cannot remove the possibility of death in his life. One in virtual worlds. Someone breaks up with a partner cannot make himself live forever. Even though we see through a text message. Human relations seem to start in fiction movies the idea of immortality, death, in real losing an important element in living – commitment. life is a definite reality which we nothing can be done to Virtual worlds and disembodied relations lack be outstripped. commitment. We can always step back and retreat in a virtual world. We can always create a new self when our avatars die or when it has become undesirable. We Death and Authenticity can always ignore message. Virtual realities remove risks; and because we do not want to risk, we patronize What does death really mean? Is it just a reminder that the virtual world. Commitment is hard. To commit is to human existence has a limitation? We may accept the risk. In the virtual world, one’s anonymity lessens, if not reality of death as it is, but it also reminds us that we completely removes risks. When we are confronted with have to value life while we have it. real social problems like war and famine, discrimination harassment and corruption; we let the world know that Since we cannot control it, things that remain within our we condemn these evils and express participation in control are those which belong to life. While still alive, the abolition of these problems. How? By a futile click to we have choices to take. The question now is not like. People in the modern technological society focused on death but on how we live in the world. Let ultimately make no real commitments. (Introduction to us ask ourselves before we die. Did we ever truly live? Philosophy of the Human Person: Senior High School. (2020) Quezon City: Vibal Group Inc.) Authenticity is an idea mostly used in existentialism which means having true and meaningful existence. According to Soren Kierkegaard, we have to avoid the crowd – the majority of the society which we think that should be the pattern of our lives. For example, we see Module 4: Human Person and Death people marrying, therefore, we also have to marry. But authenticity is not like that. We have to freely choose marrying. The intention to marry should not come from Phenomenological Notion of Death the crowd as we usually hear but it should come from our deliberate choice. According to Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) in his book Being and Time, death is (a) certain, (b) indefinite, (c) Another reason why we fail to lead an authentic life is one’s property, (d) non-relational, and (e) not to be fear. Just because we are afraid of the possible outstripped. consequences and what others might say, we fail to pursue what we truly want in life. This challenge of Death is certain. As part of humanness, we are all authenticity is one of the important messages of death. born (in Heideggerian sense, we are “thrown”) in the As we accept death, we realize the value of having a world. The world is governed by time. We, humans, are true life – an authentic life! existing in time, thus, as being thrown in the world, we have beginning and since we are finite beings, we also have end – death. Birth and death are two things we 5 | MEARL DANZELLE M. MAGALUYAN