DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

REGION III
Schools Division of Cabanatuan City
Maharlika Highway, Cabanatuan City

The Human Person as an Embodied Spirit

Introduction to the Philosophy of

the Human Person

12
SHS
 GUIDE FOR THE LEARNER, PARENTS,
GUARDIANS AND LEARNING FACILITATOR

To You, Learner:
Welcome to Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person Self-Learning Module (SLM) on
the meaning and process of doing philosophy.
This module introduces the learners to the study of Philosophy as an exploration of the fundamental
questions an \d issues that have faced humanity. It aims to help learners better understand themselves and
the world they live in and enable them to navigate through the challenges of life.
To You, Parent/s, Guardian/s and Learning Facilitator/s:
This Module was collaboratively developed and reviewed by the teachers, school heads and
supervisors of DepEd Division of Cabanatuan City to assist you in helping the learners meet the standards
set by the K to 12 Curriculum while overcoming their different constraints in schooling. As a facilitator, you
are expected to orient the learners on how to use this module. You also need to keep track of the learners'
progress while allowing them to manage their own learning. Furthermore, you are expected to encourage
and assist the learners as they do the tasks included in the module.
This Module provides varied and relevant activities and opportunities to help you in understanding
of the key concepts and competencies as prescribed in the introduction to the Philosophy of the Human
Person
Explore and get to know the processes involved in understanding the issues, concepts and topics
about the human person that will enable you to understand yourself better.

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 OBJECTIVES

At the end of the session, the learner should be able to:

1. Explain that they are human persons possessing a body and spirit:
2. Identify the traits that distinguish them as human persons
3. Explain how embodiment defines them as persons
4. Recognize that human nature brings the possibility of transcendence
5. Recognize their own limitations ad possibilities
6. Evaluate their own limitations and possibilities for transcendence
7. Recognize how the human body imposes limits on and possibilities for transcendence
8. Distinguish the limitations on and possibilities for transcendence

COMPETENCY

3.1 Recognize how the human body imposes limits and possibilities for transcendence
3.2 Evaluate own limitations and the possibilities for their transcendence

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 WHAT DO YOU ALREADY KNOW?

Direction: Read each question carefully and encircle the letter that corresponds to the best
answer.

1. Who started phenomenology as an approach to the Human person?

a. Rene Descartes b. Edmund Husserl c. Karl Marx d. Gabriel Marcel

2. What is the general term used to refer to the entire human race?
a. Man b. Person c. Being d. Human Being

3. What makes the human person different from other beings?

a. Rationality b. Judgment c. Awareness d. All of the above

4. How do you call the distinguishing qualities that makes humans unique from other beings?
a. Personhood b. Human Nature c. Person d. Transcendence

5. What remains when the body starts to deteriorate?

a. Body b. Soul c. Intellect d. Will

6. Which of the following is often referred to as the ability of the human person to think?
a. Will b. Choice c. Rationality c. Ignorance

7. What is the etymological origin of the term “Eidetic” ?

a. Edos b. Eros c. Eidos d. Eidin

8. What makes the concept of the human person dualistic?

a. Body and Soul b. Good and Evil c. Love and Hate d. Life and Death

9. How do you call the giver of life to the body?

a. Body b. Soul c. Intellect d. Will

10. What is meant by “Man is a rational animal”?

a. Capacity to think c. Capacity to reflect

b. Capacity to learn d. All of the above

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 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The Human Person as an Embodied Spirit

Man is defined by traditional philosophy as a rational animal, a being which is made up of body and
soul. As a rational being, man is capable of thinking. He reflects on what is happening around him. He puts his
plans to actions and make things possible. The concept of man as a rational being is one of the distinguishing
qualities that makes man a human person. In the aspect of man, having a body he is just like any animal, mortal,
limited by time and space. In the aspect of the soul, man is rational, free and immortal. The soul is viewed as
the reason for the capacity of man to think and reflect for himself.

In the discussion, you are going to learn about the other aspects of the Human Person aside from being
a rational being. You are going to learn about the different concepts that makes man, a living being, a human
person. You are going to learn about the concepts that will help you better understand man as the human
person.

The traditional concept of Man

To define man as a rational being is correct but to reduce the human person as having the capability to
think only is wrong. Take note of the following points about the traditional view of man as being rational.

a) When man is viewed as a rational being, there is a dualistic concept that comes into the picture. The
body is something that will eventually change and die while the soul is something that is immaterial, that which
will remain as time passed by. Man is made up of a material and spiritual part. No wonder we often view death
as the separation of the body and the soul.

b) It looks man as an object, an animal. It is often said that man is a rational animal. With this point in
mind, man is viewed as something under studied. It is something that is studied from its different parts instead
of viewing it holistically.

c) The concept looks at man from the external to the internal. The body is being studied which is an
external part of the human person, then one proceeds into the internal part which is the soul. Two aspects of
man living together and studied separately.

The phenomenological approaches to Man

In the study of the human person, you must take note of the following approaches to facilitate your
learning and better understand the human person not just as a rational being but as a being in it totality.

a) The approach is holistic. You do not view the body and the soul as two separate entities that works
independently. You look at the human person and all its components as one. You take all its parts as part of the
whole working as one.

b) It describes man from what is properly man. You look at the aspects that makes man a human being a
human being. You look at man as how he should be, on what he should be and what it can be.

c) It proceeds from the internal to external. The human person is capable of self-reflection and as such he
begins from where he is, what he has and what he can and then proceeds into the external. He figures out the
things about himself and proceeds from his inner core then to the external core.

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 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

d) The aim is to look at the human person to what he really is and to what he is intended for. To understand
and learn about the human person in its simplest form, away from all the biases, prejudices, hatred and pre-
conceived ideas thrown at him.

Edmund Husserl started these approach to the human person in what is known as phenomenology.
Phenomenology in relation to the human person is viewed as a method to get to know relevant items in relation
to the whole aspect of the human person. The aim is to get to know the person in relation to what is proper to the
human person.

Here are two important steps in phenomenology:

Epoche- literally it means “bracketing”. Husserl borrowed this term in mathematics and applied it in how
we should be seeing things. You bracket all your biases, prejudices and what you already know to see a batter
perspective of things. The aim is to see the world with a better and clearer perspective setting aside all the biases.
Eidetic Reduction- “Eidetic is derived from “eidos” which means essence. Reduction is another
mathematical term which is used to refer into getting to know something into what it really is and into what it
really means without any biases.

These two terms will help you better understand the human person away from all the biases and
prejudices you put into a person. We all know that we tend to forget or distance ourselves from those that we
hate and those that we do not like. By applying these principles, one will be able to get to know things and see
things with a newer, bigger and better perspective

The limitedness of the Human Person

Life is often viewed as unfair. You are thrown into the world without knowing who and what you will be.
You did not select your color, race and family and before you even realize who you are you begin to die. As you
celebrate your birthday, you become closer into your own death. Take this as an example, if you are celebrating
your 40th birthday and you are about to die at 50, you are celebrating life as you come closer to your death. You
realize things and would like to accomplish more with the limited time that you have. If you think of all of these,
you realize that you must accomplish with the limited time that you have and that is the reality of life.

The good thing is you have all the chances that you and you can enjoy in each and every day. Although
your body is limited and your soul is not, you can accomplish and do more. You must begin to realize that you have
all the potentials to become who you are and what you want to become. Life may be unfair but we all have the
exact 24 hours that everyone else is enjoying. We may not have the same talents but we all have the exact
opportunity to become better and contribute to the well-being of the society and the world in which we lived in.

Key terms to remember:

i. Man- the general term commonly used to refer to the entire human race. Human refers to man as a
species- Homo Sapiens sapiens or modern human beings. Human being is also used to distinguish man from other
animals.

ii. Person-refers to a human being granted of recognition of certain rights, protection, responsibilities, and
dignity. Human person refers to the totality of an individual, possessing awareness, self-determination, and the
capacity to interact with others and with himself/herself.

iii. Human nature- refers to the characteristics that distinguish humans from all other creatures. These traits
6 and society.
are assumed to arise independent of the influence of culture
 WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

Direction: Read each question carefully and encircle the letter that corresponds to the best
answer.

1. Who started phenomenology as an approach to the Human person?

a. Rene Descartes b. Edmund Husserl c. Karl Marx d. Gabriel Marcel

2. What is the general term used to refer to the entire human race?
a. Man b. Person c. Being d. Human Being

3. What makes the human person different from other beings?

a. Rationality b. Judgment c. Awareness d. All of the above

4. How do you call the distinguishing qualities that makes humans unique from other beings?
a. Personhood b. Human Nature c. Person d. Transcendence

5. What remains when the body starts to deteriorate?

a. Body b. Soul c. Intellect d. Will

6. Which of the following is often referred to as the ability of the human person to think?
a. Will b. Choice c. Rationality c. Ignorance

7. What is the etymological origin of the term “Eidetic” ?

a. Edos b. Eros c. Eidos d. Eidin

8. What makes the concept of the human person dualistic?

a. Body and Soul b. Good and Evil c. Love and Hate d. Life and Death

9. How do you call the giver of life to the body?

a. Body b. Soul c. Intellect d. Will

10. What is meant by “Man is a rational animal”?

a. Capacity to think c. Capacity to reflect

b. Capacity to learn d. All of the above

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 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY 1

Now that you are now familiar with the key concepts concerning the Human Person. Let us now
proceed into working on activities that will deepen your understanding of the lessons.

Create an illustration of who you are as a human person expressing your capacity to think and reflect.
Create
Provideanan
illustration of who
explanation youillustration
for the are as a human person
that you willexpressing yourspace
create on the capacity to think
provided and reflect.
below:
Provide an explanation for the illustration that you have created.

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 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY 2

Come up with things that you can possibly do as a human being on the first column. Come up with
things that you want to do as a human being but are not possible due to your limitations. Provide your
answer in the second column.

THINGS I CAN POSSIBLY DO THINGS I WANT TO DO BUT CAN’T BE DONE

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 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY 3

Read the following scenarios below and come up with a possible solutions in resolving the conflicts
that may arise:

1. Your classmate is using your name as a reason to get out of home. She called you and told you tell her mom
that you are together when her mother asked about her whereabouts. What are you going to do? Keep in
mind the concept of bracketing and eidetic reduction.

2. There is this classmate of your hated by your circle of friends because she does not fit into the criteria being
used by your friends into making friends. What should you do to explain to them that they should change their
views in terms of making friends?

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 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY 4

The body and soul are often viewed as two separate entities living together. You have your own belief when
it comes to the separation of the body and soul. Ask the three people around you, about the question
“Where does the soul go after death?”. For item number one, provide your own answer to the question.

1.

2.

3.

4..

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 12
What have you learned? What do you already know?
1. 1. b 1. b
2. 2. a 2. a
3. 3.d 3.d
4. 4.b 4.b
5. 5.b 5.b
6. 6.c 6.c
7. 7.c 7.c
8. 8.a 8.a
9. 9.b 9.b
10. 10.d 10.d
11.
ANWER KEYS
 REFERENCES

Books

1. Abella, Roberto (2016). Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon City. C & E
Publishing, Inc.
2. Zulueta, Francisco (2010) Introduction to Philosophy. Mandaluyong city.ational Bookstore Publishing.
3. Bernardo Jr., Juanito Philip Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Pssay City. JFS Publishing
Services
4. Bill Long (2005).Understanding the essence and Various Kinds of Law. Tetrieved
from”http://www.drbilllong.com/Jursiprudence/AqII.html]
5. Festin, Lorenz (2010). Course Notes in phenomenology: Philosophical Anthropology. Makati City

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 This Module will lead you in understanding key concepts about the human person, enabling you to come
up with answers in underlying fundamental questions about the self, the world and God.
This self-learning module focuses on understanding the meaning and the process of doing philosophy
through various philosophical methods.
Our study of philosophy aims to produce well-adjusted, productive individuals who are able to face the
opportunities and challenges of life, successfully, and maintain a healthy relationship with others. May you find
joy and peace as you learn to get to know yourself in relation to others, to your surroundings and to God.

The Human Person as an Embodied Spirit

Written and Compiled by: Cesario Junior S. Villarico

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Region 3
Division of Cabanatuan City
Curriculum Implementation Division (CID)
Learning Resource Management and Development System (LRMDS)
This self-learning module (SLM) is developed by the SDO Cabanatuan City CID-LRMDS Team under Project
EL AR: Enhanced Learning thru Adequate Resources.
14 Jan B. Briones. Project EL AR logo by Gemmarie G. Rivas
Cover and page elements illustrations by Carl