Good day to our senior high school learners. I am Sir Edward and welcome to another episode of Philosophy Class with Sir Edward. For today, we will discuss what does it make to be a human person. Today, we will discuss new topic and that is Lesson No. 9, The Human Person as an Embodied Spirit. Intro Music Now, before we formally start with our formal lesson, let us define first the important terminologies that is related to our topic for today, human person as unembodied spirit.
First on the list is man. Man is a general term commonly used to refer to the entire human race. We have human. It refers to man as a species like the Homo sapiens sapiens or modern human beings.
So, human is used on the point of view in the field of science. We also have human being. Human being is a term we use to distinguish man from other animals.
We also have person. Person refers to human being granted recognition of certain rights, protection, responsibilities, and dignity above all. The totality of an individual possessing awareness, self-determination, and the capacity to interact is called a person.
While personhood refers to the state of being a person. And lastly, we have what we call as The Human nature. Human nature is a general term refers to the deepest and natural behavior of a person that distinguish human from animals.
A collective traits that form and consider the very essence of humanity. Nobody can be considered man without human nature. Before we answer the question, what is a human person?
Let us first try to distinguish the difference between a human person compared with other organisms or animals. Now, animals are fundamentally different from us humans. So, though we share a number of similarities with other members of the animal kingdom, there are still certain things that we possess, like traits and capabilities that are not found in other organisms. So, say for example, can your pet reflect?
or is capable of reflection or can your pet reflect on its action and behavior or can it question its nature or identity as a dog of course the answer is not and that is one distinct way of how we can distinguish a human person from other organisms or from other animals Now, what is a human person? A human person is someone with an exact origin of his or her classification. From the biblical perspective, we came from Adam and Eve. But for the point of view of science, we came from an ape under the glass, Mamalia.
A human person is typically with a body which is tangible and has three components such as the soul, mind, and spirit. Also, he or she is entitled and granted rights and privileges by the state which he or she legally belong. Let us discuss the cognitive and the physical self. The physical self is something that can be seen in his or her physical appearance.
It deals with the essential features of a human way of life or the who of a person. which includes his or her body type, strength, and physical appearance. So, just to make it simple, when we say physical self, it refers to the physical appearance of an individual.
The complexion, the color of the hair, the eyes, the nationality, gender, those things comprise what we call as the physical self. While the cognitive self, It's something within and cannot be physically seen. It is the essential components of a human person that deals with the what of a person.
This includes human person's belief. desire, dreams, intentions, or even aspirations in life. Now, when we say embodied, embodied means materialize, personify, epitomize, or in Filipino, we call that as kumakatawan.
While the word embodied spirit, it refers to the inseparable union of body and soul. Now, What is Embodied Spirit? Embodied Spirit is an animating core living within each of us. It is known to be the driving force behind what we actually think, do, and say. Now, Spirit is the intangible elements enable us to exercise thought, possess awareness, interiority, and the capacity to reach out to the outside world and other persons.
Embodiment, on the other hand, is the representation or expression of something in a tangible or visible form. It enables us to do and experience all the things that make us human persons. Remember that the embodiment of the spirit particularly refers to the inseparable union of human body and soul. Inseparable, which also means that the body and soul work together at all times.
Therefore, we can simply say that embodied spirit, that the body is not separate from the soul, just as the soul is not separate from the body. Now, always remember, class, that a human person is an embodied spirit. Meaning, meron siyang physical body and at the same time, meron siyang spirit.
And that makes that person, a human person, as an embodied spirit. So, let us discuss what qualities does a human person with an embodied spirit demonstrate. So, number one here is what we call as self-awareness. Self-awareness. refers to person having a clear perception of oneself, including his or her thoughts, emotions, identity, and actions.
It is the ability of one's consciousness to look inward, therefore, discovering the presence of a self. The human person is defined by a deeper awareness that is driven by rationality or human thought. A person is aware of both his or her surroundings and himself or herself.
To continue for self-awareness, this awareness gives rise to the notion of the self, which the philosophers describe as the person who is actively aware that he or she is perceiving and experiencing reality. We experience what we call as interiority. Interiority is the quality of being focused on one's inner life and identity from the world interior within.
That is why as human person, we have the capability to think, we have the capability to reflect on our actions and even on our decisions. Such thing that is absent from other animals. For example, dogs or other animals don't have the capability to reflect. their actions and decisions in life.
Second quality of human person as unembodied spirit is what we call as externality. Externality is the capability of a person to reach out and interact with others and the world. The realization that we are not alone and that there are indeed other people around us enable us to reach out and establish meaningful relationship with others.
Now, philosophers considered man as a social being and that a person never exists in isolation. Therefore, man has the natural tendency to seek out fellow human beings. And the relationships established by this interaction is vital, is a vital component for survival.
Di ba we have a saying, di ba? Parang no man is an island. Walang sinuman ang nabubuhay para sa sarili lamang.
We are inclined to reach out to other beings. That's why we are always considered by philosophers as a social being. We always interact.
We always reach out. Number 3 characteristics of human person as an embodied spirit is self-determination. Self-determination refers to the capability of persons to make choices and decisions based on their own preferences, monitor and regulate their actions, and be goal-oriented and self-directed. We are persons because we act and we are aware of our actions. Our free will enables us to do actions whenever we want or that makes it for our self-determination.
Now, free will is the capacity to choose a course of action from different choices or from different alternatives. Now, the existence of what we call as free will enables a person to act willfully. To control his or her actions and recognize himself or herself as the source of action. So, isa yun sa mga katangian ng tao.
So, unang katangian ng tao as a human person, meron siyang self-awareness. Aware siya sa paligid niya. Aware siya sa nararamdaman niya. Kaya may tinatawag tayong interiority.
Second is externality, what we have mentioned before. Aware ang tao na hindi lang siya namumuhay para sa sarili lamang niya. That person or human person, there's a need for human person to interact or to reach out to other people.
And the third one is self-determination as what we have mentioned on this particular slide. The capability or the power to make choices and decisions. Nakakagawa tayo ng mga choices and decisions kasi meron tayong free will.
Again, free will is the capacity to choose your action or your decision based from the different alternatives or different choices. Isa yun sa mga bagay na wala kumpara sa mga ibang mga organisms or sa ibang mga animals. Another important concept related to self-determination is what we call as consequence. Now, consequence is the result or effect of an action or condition. Philosophers believe that a person acts freely and with due regard for the consequences of his or her action.
Always remember, for every decisions that we make, there's always a corresponding consequence. Di ba? Laging siyang may kapalit, laging may consequence. Dito ngayon papasok last yung concept of morality.
Morality is the... concept of the goodness or badness of an act. Diba kung gano'n nga nga kung ito ba'y mabuti o hindi mabuti.
Now, human action is such an important aspect of the person that many philosophers consider human action as a way to reveal a person's true nature. Human acts complete the person as it is through his or her action That his or her inner self is revealed to others. And it is through action that a person is able to explore and fulfill his or her potential.
Let's continue. And the last characteristic of human person as an embodied spirit is that it should possess dignity. Now, dignity is the innate right to be valued and respected.
Philosophers consider all humans as having an inherent worth or value. Lahat ng tao may halaga. Each person is worth the same as another person in the sense that every person is priceless.
Tandaan niya na. Unique, unrepeatable, and irreplaceable. So, therefore, always remember, class, that no person is dispensable or interchangeable. Di ba?
Wala siyang, hindi siya mapapalitan. Okay? This is the reason why, for example, why separation from the people we love and value most is a difficult and painful experience.
Di ba? Say, for example, have you experienced, di ba, the pain of losing a loved one, di ba, or losing a family member, di ba? It is indeed a painful experience because, di ba, we try to move on, but of course, we can never, tawag doon, replace that person, di ka, again, because...
Each person is considered unique. Each person is considered priceless. Each person is considered irreplaceable. Hindi na siya pwede pang mapalitan pa. Diba?
Kasi nga, inherent o likas sa tao, yung tinatawag nating dignity. Now, human dignity is rooted in the nature of the human. It means that a person has dignity simply because of the fact that he is...
That he or she is human. Now, remember that dignity is not defined by outside factors like intelligence, beauty, skills, etc. A person, always remember this, retains his or her dignity in spite of his or her actions or behavior. Kahit tagalog ka katalino, ka ganda, ka husay, hindi mo maaaring ipagpalit ang iyong dignidad at hindi siya basta-basta dapat mawawala. Dignity also drives us to seek what is good.
Doing good deeds upholds and promotes dignity of the human person. This recognition of dignity is also the basis for the recognition of human rights. So, say for example, kahit may kulang pa sa bahagi ng katawan mo, say for example, you met an accident or you're considered as part of persons with disability, Kahit may kakulangan pa sa iyong pangangatawan or kahit kakulong ka pa, hindi maaaring mawala ang dignidad sa iyo.
Kasi nga, likas sa katauhan natin o sa pagkataon natin, yung katawag nating dignidad na dapat pinapahalagahan mo at pinapahalagahan ng ibang tao. Now, human nature still has limits despite being an embodied spirit. Now, It can be said that the person is a very biologically deficient being.
Diba? Meron tayong mga limitations. Like for example, diba? We do not have the natural ability to fly. Hindi mo natin kayang lumipad.
We cannot even breathe underwater without using a breathing apparatus. We cannot survive environments like other animals. But remember this, that despite... the limitations, we have used always our intellect, diba, as a means to overcome those difficulties. Despite those limitations, we have used our intellects to devise means to achieve several feats.
Like for example, despite the fact that humans cannot fly, nakagawa ng mga invention or technology ng mga tao para makalipad. Like for example, this one, or the ability, for example, to operate a plane or an airplane. Diyan ngayon papasok ang panibagong concept of what we call as transcendence. The ability to surpass limits is called transcendence.
This is also one important trait that distinguishes human person from other beings in existence. Now, as a human person, we have natural tendencies. or inclinations some of these are felt bodily functions like hunger fatigue etc now transcendence means overcoming oneself or being in control even if the body reminds us of certain tendencies although these tendencies are felt the person can govern them and ensure that they are exercised within the bounds of reason May kakayahan tayong makontrol yung ating pangangatawan at maging yung ating spirito. Like for example, nasa klase ka halimbawa, kahit nagugutom ka na, may kakayahan kang magpigil.
Palti yun ng human nature. Palti yun of being human person as an embodied spirit. Hindi kakagaya halimbawa ng hayop na nag-realize sa instinct na kapag nagutom, kakain kagat.
Pero tayo, mayroon tayong kakayahan magkontrol. at isa yun sa katangian na tinatawag nating transcendence. Now remember, our mind is an important tool that allows us to go beyond many of our physical limits.
Although we have these physical limitations, we can always transcend. Nayihikita natin o nalalagpasan natin. We can transcend them because of our spiritual dimension.
Each individual's carries within him or herself the possibility of transcending his or her limits by exerting enough effort or perseverance. Remember that us, human persons, we have the capability to change and improve our situation. No matter how difficult, challenging, or hard it is, we always have the power to transcend and rise up from the challenges or adversities that we have right now. Now, this subject or philosophy gives us a useful tools to explore our limits and possibilities.
The essence of transcendence is to acknowledge our limitations. Mayroon tayong limitations as a human person. Identify possibilities for development and change ourselves for the better.
So, for example, some of our rags-to-rich stories, nagpulsigi sila para makaunlad o makaahon sa buhay. At doon pinapakita klaso yung konsepto ng transcendence. Likas sa tao na mahigitan niya anuman ang mga limitasyon o kakulangan halimbawa na meron sa kanyang buhay. Opening yourself to new opportunities and ideas is another aspect of transcendence. And our capacity to transcendence give us the opportunity to work toward becoming better versions of ourselves.
So always remember for this part of our lesson, transcendence, it is through our limitations that possibilities become real. The body limits us. Unlike birds that can fly, we have no wings to make us fly.
But, with creative minds, we invented jets and planes to make us fly even farther than any bird. At yun yung isang bagay na wala ang ibang mga organisms or animals na meron tayo. Human person or human beings.
So, Let's have a recap first of our lesson of the important topics or concepts that we were able to cover for our episode for today. So remember that an embodied spirit is the driving force of what we think, do, and say. In an embodied spirit, the body is not separated from the soul just as the soul is not separated from the body. Also remember that as an embodied spirit, the human person demonstrates the following. Self-awareness, externality or the capability to reach out and interact to other people, self-determination, the power or the ability to make choices or decisions in life, and number four, dignity, which is inherent to all of us.
As human beings, we have the unique power to change ourselves and things for the better. And that is possible because of transcendence. Transcendence is a state of existence or experience above and beyond the normal or physical level within ourselves. And lastly, our capacity for transcendence gives us the opportunity to work toward becoming better versions of ourselves. So that ends our lesson for today.
I hope that you understood our lesson well. See you again next time for more learnings and discoveries on our subject, Philosophy of the Human Person. This has been Sir Edward.
Always stay safe and have a meaningful day.