INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE
HUMAN PERSON human beings.
Quarter 1
LESSON 1:
FREEDOM & RESPONSIBILITY
What is FREEDOM?
FREEDOM is an intrinsic and essential property
of the person. This means that the human person
by nature is a free being and that it is in his or her
nature to seek freedom. An important indication of
human freedom is the ability to make choices and
perform actions. Our freedom to act sets us apart
from other beings.
FREEDOM is rooted in the human person’s self-
determination and the exercise of intellect and free
will.
KINDS of FREEDOM
1. Physical Freedom- refers to the absence of any
physical restraint. The person has the freedom of
mobility to go where he or she wants to go. He or
she is not impeded in his or her actions by any
physical force. Granted that the person has
natural limitations, physical freedom allows
him/her to act and move in a determined
manner.
2. Psychological Freedom- is also called freedom
of choice. The person is free to perform actions
that he or she considers right and wise. A person
is also free to act or not to act. Psychological
freedom is innate and cannot be denied a person.
No outside force or influence can compel a
person to take action against his or her will.
3. Moral Freedom- refers to using freedom in a
manner that upholds human dignity and
goodness. Freedom is not an object of that a
person may use or pleases. A person must use
his or her freedom to grow as a person. A person
becomes more free when he or she uses freedom
well, but less free when he or she uses it in a bad
way. Humans have a natural inclination for what
is true and good, and when a person uses his or
her freedom to do acts that violate human dignity
and goodness, he or she dehumanizes himself or
herself and effectively negates human freedom.
There are two important elements of human freedom:
A. VOLUNTARINESS- refers to the ability of a
person to act out of his or her own free will and
self-determination. This means that a person
may decide to act or not to act, these decisions
are made out of his/her own free will.
B. RESPONSIBILITY- refers to the person being
accountable for his or her actions and their
consequences.
HUMAN ACTIONS VS. ACTS OF MAN
An act that is performed by a human being and thus
is proper to man.
ACTS OF MAN- are actions shared by humans and
other animals;
HUMAN ACTS- refers to the appropriate actions of
-an act performed by a human being distinctively a
human act is that it is voluntary , that is, an act in
some way under the control or direction of the will,
which is proper to man.
ARISTOTLE’S DISTINCTION OF VOLUNTARY AND
INVOLUNTARY ACTIONS
VOLUNTARY ACTIONS- these are acts originating
from the individual performing the act using
knowledge about the situations of the act.
Classifications of Voluntary Actions
A.Voluntary- actions are performed from will and
reason.
B.Related to Compulsion- it is considered as mixed
of voluntary and involuntary. It is more voluntary if
the desire and choice have been performed and
involuntary if it has considered preferences or
alternatives.
Example:
You are asked to perform a crime and your options
are: either you do it and your family survives or you
don’t do it but they will be murdered.
INVOLUNTARY ACTIONS- are acts done under
a)force or coercion and b). ignorance where the doer
failed to understand the effect and feels sorry on the
result.
Classifications of Involuntary Actions
A.Under Compulsion- circumstances which are
beyond the control of the agent and contributes none
to the action.
Example:
A person was kidnapped, hence impossible to resist.
B.Through Ignorance of Particular Circumstances.
Examples:
A man steals and ignorant of the law, arrow or gun
shot by mistake.
INTELLECTUAL CHOICE VS PRACTICAL CHOICE
Intellectual Choice – This is a choice which is
deliberately selected based on a moral standpoint.
Basically, they are normative answers about what we
ought to do from a moral system that we uphold and
its moral principles. These normative answers would
take into consideration the behavior which the
society will accept.
Practical Choice – a choice which is borne out of
psychological and emotional considerations. Unlike
the previously discussed type of choice, practical
choices are made when confronted with the actual
situation, and usually affected by psychological
aspect of the person embroiled in the moral situation
or dilemma. For instance, psychological and
emotional stress and lack of time to deliberate during
an actual moral situation may affect a person’s moral
decision in that situation. A person may be so
engulfed by emotions that he may sometimes fail to
make the right choice. Likewise, stress could make a
person’s practical choice inconsistent with his
intellectual choice.

INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE
HUMAN PERSON
Quarter 2
LESSON 2: INTERSUBJECTIVITY
INTERSUBJECTIVITY
-is a coined word from the prefix “inter” which
connotes “among and between” and the
philosophical term “subject” that is equivalent to
a conscious being.
-is the organic union of the subjective reality and
the objective reality of beings.
INTERSUBJECTIVITY
-“ a unique relationship between distinct
subjects”.
It refers to the characteristics of the human
person to engage in a very intimate and personal
relationship with others who are different from
him or her but who are also like him/her. It allows
a person to become closer to others in many
different ways. In every social interactions,
persons have the ability to agree and cooperate
with each other. There is also the experience of
shared or “common” knowledge and shared
emotions such as grief, joy and love.
“SEEMING” action refers to the way a person
presents himself or herself when dealing with
others. This is considered a natural and often
unconscious act. Some people, however, engage in
seeming actions to deceive and manipulate others.
A deep and genuine relationships between persons
is called a DIALOGUE. Dialoque happens when
two persons truly acknowledge each other’s
presence and treat each others as equals.
EMPATHY is an important aspect of
intersubjectivity and is driven by a person’s
awareness of the emotions and thoughts of other
people. It enables a person to place
himself/herself in the shoes of others and leads to
a greater understanding and appreciation of
others.
AVAILABILITY refers to the willingness of a
person to be present for another and render
assistance to another.
The theory on the ethics of care emphasizes the
moral dimension of human interactions. It believes
that people have a moral obligation to respond to
the needs of others, and encourages individuals to
extend help to people in need.
ALIENATION refers to the state when a person
ceases to view the other distinct and authentic
person. Rather, the person considers others as
merely objects or means to satisfy personal
interests or desires.
What Philosophers Say About Intersubjectivity
Intersubjectivity is universal. It exists when and
where humans exist. It is an undeniable reality
which thinkers could not help but discuss. Here
are some philosophers who took philosophical
inquiry on intersubjectivity:
1.Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) – one of the main
ideas of Confucianism is Ren or “human-
heartedness.” It is a virtue central to man that
can be found in his sociality or
intersubjectivity. In his philosophy, Confucius
stresses order and harmony in the world. His aims
can be achieved through practical, concrete,
particular, and perceptual ways. This means
Confucian thinking on intersubjectivity is practical
humanism. There is an emphasis on human
actions in sociality. He calls every man to love the
other through actions, not through thoughts.
2.Martin Buber (1878-1965) – is a Jewish
philosopher who introduced the “I-Thou” and “I-It”
relationships to embody his philosophy of
intersubjectivity. For Buber, we have to treat
another person as a subject (a being different from
things or objects). Persons are not inanimate
objects to be used. They have their own mind and
free will, thus, we have to respect others as we
respect ourselves. “I” refers to the self and “Thou”
or “You” refers to others. This “I Thou” relationship
is the most meaningful relationship in the realm of
humanity. The “I” is the same with the “Thou” and
there should be mutual relationship between
them. We can only recognize the self in the context
of the other. This is a “person-to-person”
relationship, “subject-to-subject” relation. We need
to accept, respect, be sincere, and have dialogue
with the other.
3.Karol Wojtyla (1920-2005) – He is also St.
John Paul II but as a philosopher, we use his real
name. For Wojtyla, human action is the
foundation of our being. But human reality is also
about being with others, so our actions are also
directed towards others. This form of action is now
called “Participation.” In the theory of
participation, man has the capacity to share
himself to others. This affirms the reality that man
acts and exists with others. He is a member of the
community of persons, a community of “I-You” or
“We.” Since man is a member of this community,
his experience with others gives him meaning and
allows him to create meaning with others.