What does it mean to become a Human Person? Why are we "we"?

1. The Human Person
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
prepared by: Wilfredo DJ P. Martin IV
Sources: R.A. Padilla (2016) SPUP College Library, Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

4. NARCISSUS

5. Snow White and the Mirror Scene
◦ What does a mirror do? It mirrors or reflects objects or a scene back. It simply
throws up a reflection of whatever happens to be situated just in front of it. It is
a snapshot of a specific area. It does not contain information about the time or
place or context of anything that is going on outside of this perimeter. The
mirror is impartial in what is reflected back. It is only when meaning is assigned
to what is reflected back, that we begin to find out who is the fairest of us all.
And then again, who is the judge of what is fair or not? Well, if you happen to be
looking into the mirror, that would be YOU.

6. Snow White and the Mirror Scene
◦ So my question then is, what exactly is being seen and reflected back? Well, everyone will see
something different, determined by their focus, attitude and current mood or situation. For
example, one day you can look at yourself and feel good with what is reflected back at you and
another day, although you may have exactly the same clothes on, you may not feel so good about
what is reflected back. So what makes the difference between one day and another?
Well, quite simply - attitude or interpretation. Because we believe that what is being reflected back
to us is the reality, we forget that this reflection is actually just an inverted mirage being held up in
front of us. It is our interpretation of “the facts” that will determine the fairness of it all, so to
speak. In other words, our definition.

7. Snow White and the Mirror Scene
◦ The information is not in what the mirror is actually reflecting back to us, but
rather our interpretation of it. The meaning that we attach to what we see, how
we feel about it, which is influenced by time and space and what we are looking to
see. Remember, people tend to see and hear what they want to see and hear. This
is because the brain works by matching up items. If you have been feeling ill or
tired, the tendency is to search for matching criteria that will support this state.
This is all well and good, yet to create change or redefine, there is an important
step here, that must not be overlooked. The step of choice!

8. ◦Let us look at the fairy tale Snow White. The story unravels
to reveal that whilst on the outside the Queen appeared
beautiful, on the inside she was vain and suffered from
feelings of inferiority and lack. So, what is reflected on the
surface, is not necessarily the whole story and is very
subjectively relative and relatively subjective.

9. Kung-Fu Panda and the
Secret Ingredient

10. The Human Person
◦ Subject of education
◦ The Human who carries potential
◦ The Body is our general medium for having a world –Maurice
Merleau-Ponty
◦ A human being is a part of a whole called by us the universe, a part
limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and
feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical
delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us,
restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for few persons
nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by
widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and
the whole of nature in its beauty. –Albert Einstein

11. Understanding Self Concept and its Dynamics
A. Self Concept
◦ The conscious/unconscious perceptions and
feelings about ourselves with regard to our
worth as persons.
◦ A person has a negative self concept if he/she
has little to no worth perception or he/she
feels unhappy towards himself/herself.
◦ On the other hand, a person has a positive
self-concept if he/she feels worth or he/she
feels happy about himself/herself.

12. Understanding Self Concept and its Dynamics
B. Early Development
◦ Self concept begins in this stage
since the Environment affects one’s
self-concept.

13. Understanding Self Concept and its Dynamics
C. Inferiority and Superiority
Complexes
◦ Both are symptoms of poor self-concept.
◦ A person with a Superiority Complex tries
very hard to “exhibit” his worth to others
by overstressing his strength(s)
◦ On the other hand, a person who has
Inferiority Complex barely exhibits his
worth to others and overstressing his
weaknesses.

14. Understanding Self Concept and its Dynamics
D. Significance of Self-Concept
◦ It serves as mirror/filter.
◦ It reflects to us a picture of ourselves
affecting either negatively/positively
◦ It filters our experiences so that we
interpret them according to our existing
perceptions of the self.

15. Understanding Self Concept and its Dynamics
E. A Healthy Concept
◦Dimensions of Self-
Concept:
1. Self-Image
2. Self-Confidence
3. Self-Esteem

16. 1. SELF-IMAGE
Refers to all our perceptions and
feelings about our worth with
regards to physical (genetic
inheritance, physical attributes) and
social (name, roles, status, titles)
appearances.

17. 2. SELF-CONFIDENCE
Refers to all our perceptions/feelings
about our worth with regard to our
capabilities. This involves our ability
to do things, to achieve, and to develop
more competencies.

18. 3. SELF-ESTEEM
Refers to our perceptions/feelings
about our worth with regard to
our lovability. Our basic ability to
love and be loved.

19. The Human Person as a multi-dimensional
Being
◦A human being is:
◦Physical- he has material needs
◦Intellectual- he is equipped with intellect
◦Moral- endowed with free will
◦Spiritual- oriented with God and the Spirit
◦Social- belonging to a society
◦Economic- he is productive
◦Political- he is engaged with the social progress

20. HUMAN
ACTS

21. Human Acts
◦ An act in which comes or process from the deliberate free will of
men.
◦ All Human Acts are governed by MORALITY since there is
knowledge and will (yielding responsibility)
◦ SOURCES OF HUMAN ACTS:
1. Nature of the Act- the intrinsic value (means)
2. Intention of the doer- the actor/extrinsic value (end)
3. Circumstances- contributes to the decision of the doer
Must never contradict otherwise
the product will always be bad

22. Human Conscience
◦Refers to the totality of the
human person or the
absolute structure of the
person. It is conscience that
makes human beings moral
persons.

23. Human Acts vs. Acts of man
◦ Human Act is defined as the action that is done
by humans with knowledge and full consent of
the will. This is the action that makes the human
person fully responsible for what he/she does
irrespective of whether the action is good or bad.
◦ Acts of Man are those actions that are done in
the absence of either knowledge of will. If a
person does something against his/her will, then
it is an act of man.

24. Characteristics of a Human
Person in the Light of Reason

25. Characteristics of a Human Person in the Light of Reason
1.OPEN AND RELATIONAL
◦Humans have potential in any aspect
◦Humans are always given the chance to be better
◦Establishing friendships is natural since we are social in
nature
◦We are open to others in order to feel belongingness.

26. Characteristics of a Human Person in the Light of Reason
2. CONSCIOUS
◦A human person is self-aware
◦Consciousness makes him responsible
◦Responsibility reflects the ordeal of human decisions

27. Characteristics of a Human Person in the Light of Reason
3. EMBODIED SPIRITS
◦A human person is a spirit with a body; not a body with a
spirit
◦A human person has a physical form but spiritual in nature

28. Characteristics of a Human Person in the Light of Reason
4. HISTORICAL
◦Human persons are like pilgrims journeying through life; a
person travels through time.
◦Humans are capable of development and growth

29. Characteristics of a Human Person in the Light of Reason
5. UNIQUE YET FUNDAMENTALLY EQUAL
◦A human person possesses unique individual characteristics
that may differ in circumstances.
◦Though this is the case, all humans must be equally treated.

30. Human Person’s
Existence

31. Human Person’s Existence
◦ John Locke considered the Human Person as “a thinking
intelligent Being, that has reason and reflection, and can consider itself
as itself, the same thinking thing in different times and places”
◦ Immanuel Kant considers a Human Person as “an autonomous
self-regulating will capable of making moral decisions by and for
himself/herself. In this regard, every person has worth and
dignity insofar as they are end in themselves and are capable
of making their own moral decisions.

32. Human Person’s Existence
◦ Although the human person has worth and dignity, Erich
Fromm still considers a human being as a freak of nature,
hence, an anomaly, because of his self-awareness, reason, and
imagination”
◦ Viktor Frankl believes that striving to find a meaning in
one’s life is the primary motivational force in a human
person. According to him, a human being is able to live
and die for the sake of his/her ideals and values. He
added that a human person is ultimately self-determining

33. Human Person’s Existence
◦ The human person is the only being in this world that is
endowed with reason. Due to the rationality of the human
person, he is able to develop a sense of valuing and
loving to the source of goodness.
◦ Due to all the rationality of the human person, he is led
to know the importance of searching for the true and
the good. Eventually, the search for the true and the
good becomes the very reason for the human person’s
existence.

34. The Buddhist Philosophy of a Person

35. The Life of Siddhartha
Gautama
• Born in Lumbini, Terai (Now called Nepal)
• Born of the Royal Family Sakyas and it was
known that his family were the leaders of the
clan of the Shalyas.
• He is labelled as:
• SAKYAMUNI (the sage of the Sakya
tribe)
• BHAGAVAT (the Blessed One)
• TATHAGATA (he who “came in the
same way”)
• BUDDHA (the Enlightened One)

36. Four Significant Things for
Siddhartha’s life:
1. From the old man, Siddhartha found
out that all of us are liable to become
old. Nobody can escape from Old Age.
2. From the sick man, he found out that
all of us are liable to become sick and
nobody can be exempted from sickeness
3. From the dead man, he realized that
like sickness and old age, death afflicts
anyone. Everybody will eventually die
when the proper time comes.
4. Upon seeing the ascetic man looking
contented and at peace with himself
because he was in constant search to
eliminate suffering, he found out that
religious quest towards contentment is
not needed.

38. 1. LIFE IS SUFFERING
• For the Buddhists, we wake up to the
reality of human suffering.
• The drive in the Lumbini for
Siddhartha made him realize that life is
not at all beautiful
• Birth, Old Age, Sickness, and Death
are all sufferings.
• Sorrows and pains, grief, and despair
are all components of life.

39. 2. SUFFERING INVOLVES A
CHAIN OF CAUSES
• People desire for permanence, both in
things and in the self.
• Buddha held that the source of
suffering is the craving desire to satisfy
the senses.
• Craving is a strong, desperate form of
desire that moves a person to extremes
in trying to attain or to avoid
something,
• But such desire is only bad if it is from
greed and selfishness.

40. 3. SUFFERING CAN CEASE
• Although life is full of suffering,
Buddha held that the proper reaction
to the recognition of all our pains is
not despair.
• Inasmuch as suffering comes from
selfishness, in this regard, any action
that is motivated by selfless desires can
be the source of moral goodness.
• Such moral goodness cancels craving
and attains the nirvana.

41. 4. CESSATION OF SUFFERING
LEADS TO SOMETHING
• Siddhartha held that in order to get rid
of the suffering, every Buddhist
should follow the path to moral action.
• Such Path is called the NOBLE
EIGHTFOLD PATH.

42. The Taoist Philosophy of a Person

43. Taoism
Taoism (or Daoism) is a philosophy
that originated in ancient China and
continues to be practiced today, mostly
throughout Asia but in small numbers
around the world. Tao means “the way,”
and practitioners follow “the way” that
is described in the central book of
Taoism, the Tao Te Ching. Reportedly
written around 700 BCE by Lao Tzu, it
describes the experience of living life
in accordance with Tao.
Taoism is often
understood as valuing
balance and a
necessary unity of all
extremes, symbolized
in the black and white
Yin Yang symbol.

44. The Interdependence of Things
◦ Early Taoist philosophy was profoundly influenced by observations of nature. Taoist philosophers
determined that everything has its complementary opposite. More than this, they saw that
everything can only be understood by comparing it to its opposite.
◦ Day is only day in relation to night, cold only cold in relation to heat, and soft only soft in relation to
hard. Looking deeper still, they realized that these relationships are in a constant state of flux: Day
flows gradually into night and back again.
◦ All things, then, are interdependent. By observing the processes of nature, the Taoists say, we can
come to some understanding about the meaning of our lives and about our place in the world.
These concepts are the cornerstone of Taoist philosophy.

45. The Interdependence of Things
◦ Taoist philosophers also noticed that what happens in nature is
effortless. This does not mean that there is no struggle, but that
events occur without premeditation.
◦ Consider the life of a plant. The seed falls onto the ground. If the
soil is fertile, and if it receives warmth, light, and water, it may
emerge as a seedling. It does not require instruction to know how
to take nourishment in through its roots or how to photosynthesize
light and unfold into a mature plant.

46. The Interdependence of Things
◦ Given the knowledge it contains, the plant is complete
within its own nature. The Taoist asks: why should life
be different for people? Why not allow situations to
unfold as they may rather than trying to manipulate
others and orchestrate events?
◦ This belief in Taoist philosophy is known as the
doctrine of doing-by-not-doing, and it lies at the heart
of Taoist practice.

47. Do you think you can take
over the universe
and improve it?
I do not believe it can be done.
The universe is sacred.
You cannot improve it.
If you try to change it,
you will ruin it.
If you try to hold it,
you will lose it.

48. The Confucian Philosophy of a Person

49. The Confucian Philosophy
◦ In the Analects, Confucius is portrayed not as an original thinker, but as a communicator of
traditional ideas concerning the proper manner in which to conduct political life.
◦ Confucius regarded that people, wealth and education as the three essentials of any country. Thus,
his philosophy is considered as SOCIAL HUMANISM.
◦ For the Confucians, the ultimate source of values are the Human Beings who belong in the Society.
Unlike Buddha, who viewed life as a delusion, a curse, and a misery, Confucius viewed life as a
living reality, a blessing, a natural priceless right opportunity to be with others.

50. What is value?
What makes something/someone valuable?

51. Knowing Value (short PETA)
◦ Come of with a list of the TOP 5 Things/People that you value the most in
your life, from the most valued to the least valued and explain why.
◦ Reflect on the reasons why you value them and why in that particular
order.
◦ Do you think it is valuable in itself, or is it valuable only insofar as it serves
different purposes in relation to your personal biological survival?

52. 1st Periodic Exam (60 items)
Pointers for Review:
1. Philosophy in General
a. Nature of Philosophy
b. Importance of Philosophy
2. A Survey of Metaphysical Perspectives
a. The Pre-Socratic Philosophers
b. The Principle of Act of Potency
3. Understanding Reality in a Bigger Picture
a. Universal and Particular
b. Truths and Dialectics
c. Philosophical Thoughts in 3 Views
4. Methods of Philosophizing
a. Opinion and Knowledge
b. Truth Theories
5. School of Thoughts as Useful Ladders
a. Hermeneutics
6. The Human Person
a. Fundamentals Self-Concept
b. Human Acts vs. Act of Man
c. Theories of Human Existence

53. Term Paper: What makes me a Human Person?
(Deadline: Nov. 4, 2019)
◦Minimum of three (3) Short bondpapers
◦Double spaced
◦Times New Roman (12)
◦Compiled in one Short White Sliding Folder