Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

Philosophy and Society

FREEDOM=
Man is a social animal. Our identity experiences and actions are defined not only by our
physical environment but also the society that we are part of. Our interactions with other
people are significant to our growth as individuals. Within the family a person grows to
become an individual able to relate with others. As our world expand to include larger
communities and societies, we are confronted with the challenge of relating to other people
who come from varied and different backgrounds. Life is a continual adventure of
connecting and relating with people and establishing meaningful bonds with our fellow men.

(Matthew Gregory Lewis)

Freedom or Liberty is a social and political concept which has great significance in how
people participate in the society.

2 types of Political Freedom

1. Positive Liberty: It refers to a person taking control of his/her own life and fulfilling one’s
potential
2. Negative Liberty: Freedom from external restraint, barriers and other interferences from
other people
 Natural Right: Refers to rights which are innate to the person such as right to life.
 Legal Rights: Rights that are based on societies customs and laws
 The concept of freedom has emerged as an important philosophical issue in the 18th
Century
 Existentialism and phenomenology are the major philosophical branches that devote
much discussion on the concept of interpersonal relations.
 Freedom in a political and social context means the freedom of an individual from
oppression, compulsion or coercion from the person, an authority figure from society itself.
 This awareness of individuality is called the self.
 Constraints on free will include certain methods that cloud a person’s judgment such as
manipulation and brainstorming.
 Philosophers identify various ways that people can exercise free will and free action.
 The “Other” generally refers to objects outside of personal experience, while it is often
used by most philosopher to refer to other individuals apart from the self.
 Constraints of free action include external obstacle such as prohibition, laws and other
social controls imposed by society.
 The interaction between the self and the other is related to the philosophical concept of
intersubjectivity, which is the shared awareness and understanding among persons
 It assumes that we have free will due to our intellect and that each human action is
based on rationality and sound judgment.
 These actions are referred to by Martin Buber as “seeming” -where an individual
presents himself or herself in a certain way when dealing with others.
 Society refers to a large to a large, independent, and organized group of people living in
the same territory and sharing a common culture and heritage.
 Freedom in its simplest sense is the freedom to make choices in life.
 Agricultural societies are those engaged primarily in agriculture activities such as
farming, fishing, and livestock-raising as a primary way of life.
 During this period, intellectuals pondered 0n the origins of the society and the state and
the nature of the human freedom.
 Industrial societies are centered on mechanized production and the exchange of goods
and services.
 Modern societies are technologically-advanced societies characterized in technology.
 Social Philosophy focuses on studying society and its influence on the human person.
 Social contract is an agreement where individuals sacrifices some of their wants and
submit to a higher
authority.
 Thomas Hobbes, man in his natural state is governed by his desire and these often lead
to conflict with his fellowmen.
 John Locke proposed his own idea on the social contract with a different assumption.
Locke considered man in
his natural state as more cooperative and reasonable, and that society is formed through
the consent of the
individuals that organized it, a concept known as the consent of the governed.
 Jean Jacques Rosseau’s ideas on the social contract led him to advocate the concept of
the “general will”
 In establishing society, people entered into a social contract which define the freedom
that they will be enjoying
as members of the society and state.
 Liberalism upholds the preservation of individual rights and stresses the role of the
government in protecting
these civil liberties.
 Socialism considers freedom as the freedom to acquire economic resources.
 Christians define freedom in the context of living in accordance to God’s will.
 Free will is the capacity to choose from alternative course of action or decision.
“I am free no matter what rules surround me.” Robert A. Heinlein
“The really important kind of freedom involves attention, awareness, discipline and effort.”
David Foster Wallace
“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.” Declaration of
independence of USA
“It is a caricature of freedom to claim that people are free to organize
their lives with no reference to moral values.” Pope John Paul II
“I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do” Robert A.
Heinlein
Philosophers agree that it is important for humans to pursue and achieve genuine
relationship to attain development:
 Jean Paul Sartre considers human relationship as frustrating and are inauthentic and
ambiguous.
 Karl Marx believes that alienation gives rise to the exploitation of people.
 Edith Stein defines the self-other relationship as being driven by sympathy.
 Gabriel Marcel define genuine relationship based on availability or the willingness of the
person to be present
and be at the disposal of another.
 Edmund Husserl believes that intersubjectivity more than just shared understands.