11

INTRODUCTION
TO PHILOSOPHY
OF THE HUMAN
PERSON
1st Quarter: Module 8

Rogelio DG. Burce

Marlon Tiña
Module Writers

Department of Education • Republic of the Philippines

Content Standard:
The learner understands the human person as an embodied spirit.
Performance Standard:
The learner distinguishes his/her own limitations and possibilities for

her/his transcendence.

Most Essential Learning:

Evaluate own limitations and the possibilities for their transcendence.

Learning Competencies:

 Understand the meaning of man’s transcendence.

 Value the significance of man’s transcendence.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this module the students will be able to;

Understand different views on man’s transcendence.

Distinguish divisions of beliefs on man’s continued existence.

Value the significant manifestations of man’s transcendence.

EXPECTATIONS

 This module is intended for you learners of Grade 11 General Academic

Strand classes specifically in your course subject Introduction to
Philosophy of the Human Person.
 The lesson included in your module teaches you meaning of man’s
transcendence.
 It also helps you to identify different views on man’s transcendence and
its significant manifestations. In this module there are activities that will
guide you to better understand your lesson.

Are you ready and excited? Let’s start…

 PRE-TEST

Multiple Choice: Read the questions carefully. Encircle the letter of your correct
answer on the following.
1. They were known as ancient proponent of dualism.
a. Babylonians b. Greek c. Hebrew d. Persian
2. The number of views on man’s transcendence.
a. two b. three c. four d. five
3. The following religions believe in the existence of soul and hell except _____.
a. Islam b. Christianity c. Buddhist d. Judaism
4. Human beings are considered as one entity with two distinct parts.
a. duality b. dualism c. monism d. divinism
5. The body and the soul are seen as incompatible substances that coexist in constant
tension.
a. duality b. dualism c. monism d. divinism
6. It considered death not as an end but only the beginning of a new kind of life
a. monism b. materialist c. non-materialist d. monotheist
7. This believes that there are no nonmaterial entities such as spirit and demons.
a. monism b. materialist c. non-materialist d. monotheist
8. It is the way dualism looks at the relationship of body and spirit.
a. convention b. complementary c. completion d. contradiction
9. It is the way duality looks at the relationship of body and spirit.
a. contradiction b. convention c. completion d. complementary
10. The following are significant manifestations of man’s transcendence on earth
except _________.
a. biological b. social c. spiritual d. morals

LOOKING BACK

What really is stored for us!

Arrange the scrambled letters to find the correct answer and give their basic
definition.
Correct Word Meaning
1. REPNOS Generally, refers to human being
granted recognition of certain rights.
Protection, responsibility and dignity.
2. IGIDTYN An innate right to be valued and
respected.
3. RITYINTEORI Quality of being focused on one’s inner
life and identity.
 INTRODUCTION OF THE LESSON
Can we live beyond!
An important part of man’s nature as transcendence is his permanence
even after death. “Is man a spirit just dwelling in the body?” Or “Is man a body simply
having spirit?” Will he continue to exist after his life on earth? What does it mean that
man is an embodied spirit? That will be an important question to be answered in this
lesson.

What really happens?

I. Division – Man’s Perspectives

1. Materialist – This believes that there are no nonmaterial entities such as spirit,
ghost, demons, and God because the sole reality is matter and everything is a
manifestation of its activity.

2. Non-materialist – This emphasizes that man composed of more than material

aspect. Some believe that humans are primarily a spirit being dwelt in the body while
others simply taught that he or she is a body with a spirit. Thus, it considered death
not as an end but only the beginning of a new kind of life on or beyond the present
earthly life. Almost every religion has their own interpretations on this experience
based in their sacred writings. Monotheistic religions such as Judaism, Islam and
Christianity have the similarities with the idea of soul or spirit and body with heaven
and hell. While polytheistic and eastern religion expounded continued existence after
death with reincarnation, transmigrations and other related beliefs.

II. Destiny: Man’s Permanence

1. Two views on man’s transcendence

a. Dualism: contradictory – In Greek dualistic theories the body and the soul are
seen as incompatible substances that coexist in constant tension. They are
fundamentally incompatible. Usually it asserts that there is something inherently evil
or imperfect about anything physical and sees the body as an evil container for pure
soul. Thus, death is a time for ultimate deliverance from the body when soul is finally
released from the prison house of the flesh.
b. Duality: complementary – Human beings are considered as one entity with two
distinct parts united by God’s act of creation. The body is created good and not
inherently evil, yet it suffers from moral corruption just like the soul. Christianity
teaches redemption of the body not from the body.

2. Significance - The issue on man’s transcendence has always a moral significance

even during the ancient times. For it implies the question, “Why be good if
immortality falls equally to the just and the unjust? which in turn suggests that good
conduct should be motivated by hope of a reward. To deny the existence of God and
the immortality of the soul has seemed to imply that there can be no objective or
absolute moral order in the universe.

III. Development – Man’s Progress

Man’s transcendence has never been strictly contained with the idea of
otherworld but can also be applied in the present earthly condition through its
different significant manifestations.

a. Biological - This type of man’s continued existence means that we survive our own
death in the persons of our children, grandchildren and grandchildren’s children down
through the generations. Dealing in strictly biological concepts, this view stresses the
fact that each living organism is a temporary repository for the germ plasm. The
individual’s life is merely a stewardship, which upon his death is surrendered and
handed.

b. Social - In this case survival consists of our continued existence after death in the
memories of our family and friends. Such a view emphasizes that those individuals
who contribute most to society are the ones who survive longest socially. Whatever we
have done in the way of goodness and kindness survives our lifetime, and those who
have been the recipients of our good will shall rise up to keep our memories stay.

c. Moral - This view might be called moral immortality because it implies a notion on
life as continued struggle between the forces of evil and the forces of good. It finds it
hard to believe that a lifetime of moral struggle and social good will have its only end
in the grave. By this way most people can continually get strong motivations and
inspirations to fight in any earthy moral battles.
 What’s More?

Activity 1: How would you like to be remembered?

List some significant achievement in different areas of your life in which you
want to be remembered by those different people who live with for a long time.

People in your life Your Achievements

1. By your family

2. By your friends

3. By your neighborhood

Guide Questions;
1. Among the achievements which you listed, which do think is the most significant?
Why?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. What are some other things that you still want to achieve in the future? Explain.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
 ConVerse Me with the Bible or Koran!

Activity 2-

Almost all religions have their own way of explaining or proving Man’s
immortality. Read and search the Bible or Koran to find some of the supporting verses
which can be found there. Write it in the space provided in the table.

Verses Statement
(Chapter and
verse/s
1.

2.

3.

Activity 3: Balancing Two Opposing Views on Reality

Complete the table by stating at least two advantages and disadvantages for
each views on reality.

Two Opposing Views Evaluation

Disadvantages Advantages
1. Materialist 1. _______________ 1. _______________
2. _______________ 2. _______________

2. Non-materialist 1. _______________ 1. _______________

2. _______________ 2. _______________
 CHECKING YOUR UNDERSTANDING

What I CAN Do?

Write M if the word or statement refers to Materialist NM, if to Non-materialist, DM,

if Dualism and DT, if Duality.

_______ 1. The spirit belongs to heaven while the body belongs to earth.
_______ 2. Let us be drink and be merry for tomorrow we will die.
_______ 3. Since there is no afterlife, just accept “whatever will be, it will be.”
_______ 4. Body should be punished and neglected.
_______ 5. Love your body as well as your spirit.
_______ 6. Man’s body is important because it is the temple of the Spirit.
_______ 7. Every matter like the body is bad and evil.
_______ 8. There is life after death.
_______ 9. Reincarnation and transmigrations are some of its beliefs.
_______ 10. Everything has only physical and/or material explanation.
B. Identify what kind of significant manifestations on man’s transcendence being
mentioned in the statement.
11._____ This type of man’s continued existence means that we survive our own death
in the persons of our children.
12._____ It finds it hard to believe that a lifetime of moral struggle and social good will
have its only end in the grave.
13._____ Those who have been the recipients of our good will shall rise up to keep our
memories stay.
14._____ This view stresses the fact that each living organism is a temporary repository
for the germ plasm.
15._____ In this case survival consists of our continued existence after death in the
memories of our family and friends
 ENRICHMENT

Well done! You are almost done becoming a good oriented person. Kindly
answer the following questions based in your own personal understanding.

1. As student, how can you make you make your existence meaningful and
productive?
_______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

2. How can you explain this quotation by R.D.G. Burce as related with our topic, “Live
as if you’re nearly dying so that when you died as if you’re still living.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________