Chan, Amber Therese M.

12 STEM A

October 16, 2018 PHILOSOPHY

WHAT MAKES US HUMAN?

An analysis on the concept of Human Person according to Plato

A philosopher named Marcus Aurelius once said, “Nothing can give us a right way? The right
way can give us nothing except the philosophy.” In what sense can we identify that a human person is
composed of these factors of existence and non existence to itself? And how are these compositions
makes us a human or any less of a human? That this can provide an accurate answer of what makes us
humans? This analysis explains a philosophical explanation of human persons containing its composition
that a human person is certain to have these kinds of composition based on other studies of
philosophers that I may agree or not. In which some can be answered in our religious teachings that are
more on beliefs of God with faith and worship that humans are made by God. But this analysis is a
concept of human person according to Plato. Whether a human person is just compose of body and soul
as they say. That even philosophers may lack some important details which I may or not agree on.

First, Plato explains that a human person is composed of body and soul. And I agree with Plato
that we are composed of body and soul. But with the division of worlds; the world of ideas and senses
has a lot more doubt to consider based on Rene Descartes study. In my own understanding, it is factual
that the soul is immortal but in terms of functions, the soul may be functioning without the existence of
a body. An example would be a machine that works; if the machine can no longer function or do work it
has no energy to function its purpose, but it still has its purpose that it is a machine that can do work.
Also in a human person, both the body and the soul contain or refer to the other. If this explains the
immortality of the soul that is in St. Thomas Aquinas argument, the appearances itself are caused in it by
God. In this existence of the human person, it is factual that even the rejection of something that you
think still considers the existence of what he or she is thinking. Even when it is composed of matter and
form, the body itself has it composition of matter and form based on St. Thomas Aquinas’ argument.
This still holds that the human person is linked to corporeal things.

Second, human persons have limitations that require a beginning and an ending. Based on John
Locke, a philosopher explains the awareness of human person’s limitations in life. Thus, it points out the
responsibility of the human person’s life and others. It goes into details from the beginning till the end,
which in my understanding, containing the life of a person that it holds many situations that they will
encounter in their life. And I agree with Plato that our body makes the decisions to limit our physical
actions but also our conscience or mind makes the work of thinking of what to do or not to do. In our
past discussions about the fundamental definition of human being thus explains the special behavior
and function of man which are symbol, practical, economic, moral feeling and sensitive man that these
are actions during and after the life of man. But in other explanations of my own understanding, we
cannot change or improve the soul because we ourselves have our own conscience that is guiding us.
Which the soul is a guide of our existence in the world to find out the truth of everything in a human’s
life. And I agree that we humans are composed of body and soul because it was discussed before in our
religious education that we have a soul that guides our body from reality. All our actions go through an
explanation of how he or she is doing with it.
 Lastly, the human possibility for transcendence that explains the soul continues to exist after its
separation from the body. This explains in St. Thomas Aquinas were the soul is placed. But in this
explanation, the human soul can still continue to exist and St. Thomas Aquinas explained that there is a
reincarnation of a human person that he or she has a second chance at life. But in my understanding of
a theory that maybe a soul can go back to the real world but in a different body with a different
personality of everything. That in one of my readings, Dr. Michael Newton’s journey of soul’s research
identifies the transition after death. But I don’t agree that a soul can go back to the real world because
we only have a chance to live once. Because also in Rene Descartes study is that our senses are just false
that certainty does not guarantee truth. It is that a human being is just a natural kind. That in Plato’s
account, soul will go back to the world. But for me, I don’t agree that a soul can’t return to the world
with its different kind of being or whatsoever, because we are made with one soul and has his own
individual soul as St. Thomas Aquinas stand of Plato’s study. And I agree with him that our existence has
only one role and worth in the world. That we ourselves have one goal and one ending of our life.

This claims that Plato’s studies are not enough to identify what we are as humans. That is why
philosophers who studied and conclude the definition of a human person show the capabilities of a
human of what is clearly more than just an attribute. What makes us humans are our attributes which
represents our human nature. But this is not just the only definition of human person. The relationships
we built that connect us with others and other beings in life. That our inner self can balance our very
own existence in the world and we know that our body and soul can identify what is wrong or right for
us and for others. In which in my understanding is that we have our different definition, beliefs and
thought of what does it mean to be a human that our responsibilities hold or depend life in it. In the
same way, philosophers who believed in their study have a point of what makes us humans and at some
point I agree and disagree with them. That this analysis has a relation to our very own body. Even when
the study is rejected, it is still stated with a good point of what makes us humans. Which our existence in
the world makes it important why we are here and what is our purpose in this world.

What we are capable makes us human, that in this world, we are known for our own definition
of ourselves. The essence that we have that we are to exist. That I don’t agree more in Plato’s argument
because in my mind, I agree that we have our own individual soul, a soul and a body that partner
together because of our actions based on St. Thomas Aquinas argument. Because of our identity, we are
present to make these kinds of actions. A quote by Fyodor Dostoevsky said, “The mystery of human
existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.” To ask this question again by
St. Thomas Aquinas, what makes us a living body? We humans are special because of our minds that
provide much more than a study of philosophy, even if we agree or not, the satisfactory of human
existence by their actions makes us humans. We perceive the sole purpose of human existence to light
the meaning and reason of mere being.