INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE
HUMAN PERSON
Philosophy – love of wisdom (comes from
Greek ‘Philia’ – love and ‘sophia’ – wisdom)
The need to philosophize is driven by the love of
wisdom for us to know the truth.
Wisdom – correct application of knowledge.
Co (2009) - “only humans can and need to
philosophize because of their uncertainties.”
Tenorio (2011) – Philosophy is the science and
art of the ultimate reasons, causes and
principles of being.
THEORIES OF PHILOSOPHY
Philosophical disciplines maintain their status
as mere theories and give emphasis on the
exercise of the mind in reasoning and
explaining basic truth without a concrete and
empirical basis.
1) Epistemology – theory of knowledge /
sources and origin of knowledge and truth
2) Metaphysics – theory of existence of
something
3) Theodicy – theory or questions about god
and spirits
4) Ontology – essence of reality
PRACTICAL BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
can be defined as the study of the bases of
philosophy (metaphysics, knowledge theory,
logic) for "practical thinking", with the emphasis
on values, attitudes to life, and norms of
behavior.
1) Ethics – questions about right and
wrong/morality and immorality
2) Aesthetics-
study/experiences/appreciation of
beauty
3) Axiology – means value or
worth/goodness
4) Logic – distinguishing correct from
incorrect reasoning.
Holistic Point of View – large scale or general
perspective (eg. Class discussion, conversations,
public communication)
Partial Point of View – focuses on certain or
specific areas (eg. individual works, research
papers with one perspective or idea)
GREEK PHILOSOPHERS
● Plato – sense of wonder/curiosity
● Rene Descartes – a french philosopher.
doubting everything and even his own
ideas Father of Modern Philosophy
● Karl Jaspers – experiences (as we gain
experiences we also gain knowledge. A
Swiss German philosopher.
What are the practical uses of Philosophy in
our lives? Philosophy requires a person to
engage in analysis and interpretation of
concepts, definitions, arguments, and problems.
PRACTICAL USES OF PHILOSOPHY
● Arguments and giving meanings
● Problem-solving and decision making
● For being a good communicator
● For wisdom
● For self-development
Reflection - is deliberate and structured
thinking about choices. It is an integral step to
improving our practice (Sanders, 2018)
Truth - property of sentences, assertions,
beliefs, thoughts, or propositions that are said,
in ordinary discourse.
FACT AND OPINION
Socrates - an unexamined life is not worth
living, and it certainly could not be a virtuous
life (this is because if we do not understand life
and solutions, problems can be repeated)
METHODS OF PHILOSOPHIZING
1. Socratic Method
- Art of questioning
- Question and answer
- Enhances critical thinking skills
- made by Socrates
2. Methodic Doubt
- Doubting about everything
- Rene Descartes
– Father of Modern Philosophy
- Rene Descartes “clear and distinct ideas alone
can become the foundation of all knowledge.”
3. Phenomenological
- Phenomenon
– study of appearance
- Experience (acquiring experiences and how
we experience it)
4. Dialectical Method
- Hegelian Dialectics
- Proposed by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
- Having conversation or discourse with 2
different points of view but want the same resul
- Fallacies
– based on faulty reasoning
HUMAN PERSON AS EMBODIED SPIRIT
● Human Person - defined by the classified
origin of species and persons with birth
rights
● Man - define to represent the entire
human race
● Human – a term used to refer to various
classifications and species (we are under
Mamalia)
● Human Being – a term used to separate
man from other human classifications like
animals
● Person - Refers to an individual who
possesses self-awareness,
self-determination, a rational mind, and
the capacity to interact with others and
with himself/herself
● Personhood – a general term that refers
to the state of being a person with unique,
sacred, and ethical status within
him/herself
● Human Nature - refers to the deepest
and most natural behavior of a person
that distinguishes human from animals.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A HUMAN PERSON
● Self-awareness – a person having a
clear perception of oneself including
his/her emotions
● Self-determination - refers to the
capability of persons to make choices
and decisions based on their own
preferences
● Externality – ability to communicate to
other people and to oneself
● Dignity – self-respect, and self-worth
Limitations of the Human Person? Human
persons are naturally deficient beings. This
means that we are not prepared with the best
physical aspects among all the beings.
Transcendence - originated from the words:
Trans, meaning “go beyond”, and scandare,
meaning “climb”. - Being dynamic and exceedi
ng your limitation
- state of being or existence above and beyond
the limits of material experience
There are two general kinds to distinguish a
human person:
The Cognitive Self - THE WHAT OF A PERSON
(person’s beliefs, desire, dreams, and
intentions)
Physical Self - THE WHO OF A PERSON
(includes his/her body type, strength, and
appearance)
Facticity - refers to the things in our life that
are already given. EXAMPLE: LIFE
Spatial-temporal being - as temporal beings,
our most obvious limitation is our finitude - our
finite quality or state - as spatial beings, we are
limited by our bodies to be present in two or
more places at the same time. Embodied spirit
- is an animating core living within each of us.

Here are some limitations and possibilities

for transcendence:

● May not occur to everyone

● Does not come at a specified period
● Varies across all people
● May coincide with physical limitations of
the body
● Developing a positive outlook in life
● Working towards reaching a goal
● Learning from experience

Some Points to Remember When Going

Beyond Your Limits:

● You are connected to the external or

eternal world
● Challenges are learning opportunities
● Your goal is more important than your
fears
● Think outside the box
● Recognize that everyone has fear