UNIT # 2:​ ​Humanity and Personhood 

Table of Contents 

Introduction 2 

Lesson # 1: The Bigger Picture 

Starting Out 4
Learn about It! 4
Check Your Understanding  7 
Philosophy Applied 7 
Who’s That Philosopher? 8 

Lesson # 2: The Picture Within 

Starting Out 9
Learn about It! 9
Check Your Understanding 11 
Philosophy Applied 12 
Who’s That Philosopher? 12 

Be the Philosopher! 13 

Philosophy and I: Check and Reflect 14 
Wrap Up 15 
Bibliography 16 
Answers to Check your Understanding 16 
Glossary 17 

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GRADE 11/12 | Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 

UNIT # 2

Humanity and Personhood 

Most  philosophical  questions  one  would  encounter  in  this  subject  would  revolve  on  man’s 
being – questions like, “What is the meaning of life?”. As thinking creatures, only human beings 
can  make  reflections  about  their  lives, how it affects the world, and vice versa. Since the dawn 
of  civilization, a great number of philosophers have asked a myriad of questions which they all 
attempted  to  answer  in  order  to  make  sense  of  man’s  life  and  personhood. In this lesson, we 
shall  tackle  some  of  these  attempts  to  answer  the  most  puzzling  questions  of  man,  and  how 
these contribute to our daily existence. 

Philosophy in Our World

Gary  would  be  graduating  from  high  school  in  a few months. Gary is still quite uncertain as to 

which  specialization  he  would  take  in  college.  His  mom  wants him to take a course in Nursing 
and  eventually  go  to  medical  school while his dad prefers that he takes a course in Economics 
and  later  on,  go  to  law  school.  Some  of  his  relatives  have  also  given  him  advice.  So,  Gary  is 
becoming quite confused. He knows that whatever his decision is, it will change his life. 

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A  few  months  or  years  from  now,  you  might  find  yourself  to  be  in  Gary’s  situation.  You  will 
graduate  from  high  school  and  proceed  to  college.  ​Eventually, you will have to work, earn, 
and build your own life in your own terms. 

This  is  a  situation  one  must  think  of  very  carefully.  This  would  affect  your  life,  the  society 
where  you  belong,  and  most  importantly,  the  world  you  live  in.  This  is  a  picture  of  a  person 
being in a crossroad of choices which requires a significant time of philosophical reflection. 

Learning Targets
In this unit, you should be able to:
● understand the significance of the philosophical methods;
● use these methods in examining your life and role in the world; and
● develop your own views and decisions.

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 Lesson 1: The Bigger Picture 

In learning Philosophy, one would realize that it encompasses all aspects of life. But why does 
it matter at all? Our main concern is how philosophizing can make us better thinkers, so we 
can make better choices that will determine the way we live. 

Starting Out 

How does Philosophy affect my life? 

​Learn about It! 

Most  philosophers  and  students  of  Philosophy  have  asked  a  lot  of  complex,  even  seemingly 
absurd  questions  that  both  shook  and  shaped  the  world.  These  are  the  questions that we do 
not  encounter  everyday,  and  when  we  are  presented 
with  these  questions,  we  find  ourselves  taking  time  to 
think  of  an  answer.  Some  even  dismiss  these  questions 
as  irrelevant  and  daft.  But,  if  we  look  again  and  more 
closely,  if  we  give  these  questions  a  second  chance,  we 
would, perhaps, find them to be making sense. 

Philosophy  originated  from  two  Greek  words​:  philo 

which  means  love,  and  ​sophia  which  means  wisdom. 
Etymologically,  the  word  philosophy  means  “love  of 
wisdom”.  If  philosophy  translates  to  love  of wisdom, this 
means  that  a  philosopher  is  a  ​lover  of  wisdom​.  But 
what does it mean to love wisdom? 

Wisdom  is  generally  referred  to  as  an  insight,  skill  or 
intelligence.  This  is  the  state  of  having  an  experience, 
knowledge  and  good  judgment.  In  Philosophy,  we  define  wisdom  as  the  right  application  of 
knowledge.  Most  importantly,  wisdom  requires  the  element  of  human  experience  because 

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this  is  where  we  gain  knowledge  and  start  questioning  and  seeking  for  answers,  thus, 
Philosophy.  

While  the  term  Philosophy  was  coined  by  Pythagoras,  it  is  usually  attributed  to  the  ancient 
philosopher, Socrates. He was regarded as a true philosopher – a true lover of wisdom. During 
his  time,  he  would  proceed  to  the  marketplace of Athens, where most people could be found, 
and  ask  them  questions  about  almost  anything  –  what  is  justice,  knowledge,  truth,  etc. 
Socrates  had  his  own  ways  of  provoking  the  people  of  Athens  to  think.  He  would  ask  them 
questions  and  when  answered  comes  up  with  another question. He did this not to be famous 
nor  to  look  superior  but  he  wanted  to  leave  them  with  curiosity,  wonder,  and  a  thirst  for  the 
Truth.  He  believes  that  every  person  possesses  wisdom  that  needs  to  be  triggered  so  he 
thought  that  he  should  help  the  people  to  get  them  to  questioning  and  reflecting.  However, 
some did not appreciate Socrates’ work which led him imprisoned and be sentenced to death. 

Socrates’  method  of  asking  questions,  providing  an  answer,  asking  further  questions,  and  so 
on  is  known  as  the  Socratic  method  or  the  ​Socratic Dialogue​. The Socratic Dialogue, which is 
considered  as  a  form  of  ​dialectics​,  is  a  two-way  process  that  works  between  two  parties 
discussing  a  central  idea.  It  is  an  active  process  that  allows  people  to  exchange  their  views, 
beliefs,  and  arguments  to  arrive  at  the  truth  they  would  believe.  The  Socratic  Dialogue  also 
allows  people  to  hear  each  other’s  opinion  and  perspective  to  put  them  into  consideration 
and eventually make decisions that takes big questions into account. 

Eventually,  the  Socratic  Dialogue  makes  us  rethink  of  the  concepts  and  ideas  we  think  we 
already  know.  It  is  a  careful  examination  of  our  own minds and thoughts. Sometimes, we feel 
so  certain  of  our  decisions  only  to  prove  ourselves  wrong.  To  avoid  this,  we  could  use  the 
Socratic Dialogue to see a point of view other than our own. 

Let us take an example. Here is a dialogue between two people who are trying to define the 
word “chair”. Let’s say that one of these people is Socrates himself. 

Socrates: What is a “chair”? 

Person 2: A chair is a furniture on which one can sit on. 
Socrates: So, because I can sit on the table, does it mean it’s also a chair? 
Person 2: No, a chair is created to be sat upon. Whereas a table is not. It is defined by its 
purpose. 
Socrates: I see. If I use a chair as a tool to elevate my body and reach the ceiling, does it mean 
it is no longer a chair because it is not serving its purpose? 
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This  situation  may  prove  to  be  both  awkward  and  irritating  to  Person  2.  However,  it  would 
also  make  him  realize  that  he  may  need  to  reexamine  his  idea  of  a  chair,  and  of  other  ideas 
that may be significant to the way he lives his life. 

During  the  Modern  period,  the  German  idealist,  Georg  Wilhelm  Friedrich  Hegel  presented 
another  form  of  a  dialectical  method  similar  to  the  Socratic  Dialogue,  and  is  continuously 
developing. He presented it in three levels – a thesis, an antithesis, and a synthesis. 

The  ​thesis  is  one’s prevailing idea or situation. It is our current perception of the world and all 

its  aspects  that  affect  us.  It  is  a  proposition  that  claims  to  be  true.  The  ​antithesis  is  the  idea 
that  opposes  the  thesis.  These  are  the  problems  we  encounter  in  the  situations  we  find 
ourselves  in.  Through  a  constant  dialogue,  the  problems  (antithesis)  are  resolved  which 
results  to  synthesis.  The  ​synthesis  is  the  product  of  struggle  between  the  thesis  and 
antithesis.  Eventually,  the  synthesis  becomes  the  new  thesis  which  would  find  itself  an 
antithesis  and  produce  a  synthesis.  It  is  a  cycle  that  is  in  constant  flux  and  is  continuously 
evolving. 

For  example,  during  the  Medieval  period,  it  was  a  widely  accepted  fact  that  the  Earth  is  flat 
and  that  the  Sun  revolves  around  it.  Eventually,  scientists  and  discoverers  opposed  the  idea 
by  proclaiming  that  the  Earth  is  not  flat,  and  the  Sun  does  not  revolve  around  it.  Through 
countless  debates,  rigorous  research,  and  study  of  the  universe,  it  has  been  proven  that  the 
Earth  is  round,  that  it  revolves  around  the  Sun,  and  rotates  in  its  own  axis.  Let  us  determine 
the thesis, antithesis, and synthesis here. 

Thesis: The Earth is flat and the Sun revolves around it. (Prevailing idea) 
Antithesis: The Earth is not flat and the Sun does not revolve around it. (Opposing idea) 
Synthesis: The Earth is round, revolves around the Sun, and rotates in its own axis. (New 
thesis) 

The synthesis is now the new thesis, which would find itself to have an antithesis and a 
synthesis as the history of the world progresses. 

These  two  methods  –  the  Socratic  dialogue,  and  the  Hegelian  dialectics  –  have been used not 
only  by  students  of  Philosophy,  but  also  by  scholars  who  have  made  some  of  the  biggest 
decisions  in  the  world.  This  method  can  be  used  both  in  simple  situations  and  concepts,  and 
in  the  immense  problems the world finds itself to be in. These methods allow us to reevaluate 
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 our  decisions 
that  would 
impact our lives 
and  the  world 
we live in. 

Philosophizing  can  be  both  daunting  and  annoying.  Hence,  the  general  perception  is that it is 
an  irrelevant,  impractical  pursuit.  However  as  thinking  creatures  contained  in  a finite amount 
of  time  in  this  world,  the  least  we  can  do  is  pause,  reflect,  and  make  it  more  meaningful  by 
asking ourselves questions we have never asked before. 

Check Your Understanding 

Give the corresponding antithesis to the theses provided in each number. 

1. A vaccine shot prevents a child from getting sick.

2. Genetically Modified Organisms are harmful to the body.
3. Men are better drivers than women.
4. Philosophy is boring and unimportant.
5. Teenagers are impulsive and irresponsible.

Philosophy Applied 
Children  are  considered  as  the  best  philosophers  of  all  time.  They  have  these  innocent 
questions about themselves, about the world, without the hidden agenda. They are like the
Socrates in our lives. 

Imagine yourself being stuck in a room with a five or six-year old child. It could be your little
brother  or  sister,  it  could  be  your  niece  or  nephew,  or  your  godchild.  He/she  asks  you 
intriguing questions like, “Where do babies come from?” or “What’s up there in the sky?”, “Why
are leaves green, and not red or blue or anything?”, “Why is grandma’s hair white?”, “Why are
you becoming a doctor, instead of being a teacher?”.  

These are the kinds of questions about our ordinary live. We may have already taken them for
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granted,  but  if  someone  were  to  ask  you  these,  would  you  be  able  to  answer  him/her?  How 
would  you  formulate  your  answer?  What  method/s  would  you  use  when  you  are  faced  with 
these questions? 

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 Lesson 2: The Picture Within 

After  learning  the  method  and  significance  of  Philosophizing,  we  can  also  apply  it  in 
situations  we  find  ourselves  in.  How  can  Philosophy  bring  us  to  a  better  understanding  of 
ourselves?  Many  people,  including  you,  may  have  experienced  asking  questions  about  the 
meaning  of  life  and  the  life  you  lead.  In  this  lesson,  a  discussion  about  the  significance  of 
self-reflection will be analyzed so we can live making better decisions. 

Starting Out 

How do I find the meaning of my life? 

​Learn about It! 

Socrates  was  highly  credited for introducing the dialogue as a 

method  of  philosophical  analysis.  His 
question-answer-question  process  brought thinkers to a wide 
accomplishment.  Not  only with his method, Socrates was also 
concerned  about  the  topics  of  his  questions.  He  asked 
questions  about the society, justice and righteousness, but he 
also  focused  on  questions  that  encourage  self-reflection. 
Introspection​,  or  the  examination  of  oneself  through  the 
analysis  of  the  meaning  of  one’s  life,  was  given  emphasis  on 
his  philosophy.  According  to  Socrates, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”. He prompted 
people to think about things that matter most in life – courage, love, the soul, etc. 

During  the  Medieval  period,  Christianity  was  at  its  peak.  It  provided  answers to questions the 
ancient  philosophers  have  started.  Questions  about  the  meaning  of  life,  death,  purpose,  and 
how  one  should  lead  his  life  have been answered through the revelation of God’s word. Many 
have  turned  to  religion  to  find  their  life’s  meaning.  It  starts  with  the  idea  that  there  exists  an 

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all-knowing  (omniscient),  an  all-powerful  (omnipotent)  and  an  all-present  (omnipresent) 
Supreme  Being who created the world and all the creatures in it, including human beings. This 
leads  to  the  belief  that  the  Supreme  Being  has  chosen  a  certain  path  for man even before he 
is  conceived,  and  it  is  the  man’s  task  to  discover  and  walk  through  it.  Many  theologians  and 
philosophers  like  St.  Augustine  have  written  different  works  to  describe  the  nature  of  God, 
how  man  can  be  in  accordance  to  God’s  will,  religious  concepts  like  the  soul,  the  Holy Trinity, 
and virtues that would guide man towards a meaningful life. 

However,  there  are  people  who  do  not  adhere  to  the  idea of religion, as it poses unanswered 
questions  about  God’s  existence.  Religion  may  explain  everything  about  the  meaning  of  life, 
but  it  does  not  provide  an  explanation for itself nor answer its fundamental premise of where 
God comes from. Hence, some people have chosen to find meaning by themselves. 

During  the  Second  World 

War,  there  have  been 
countless  casualties  even 
after  it  has  ended.  It  was  a 
time  that  the  individual  was 
given  paramount 
importance.  Since  the  war 
has  destroyed  lives  and 
cities,  people  started to value their lives in a greater way than before. It is during this time that 
the  philosophical  school  of  thought  called  ​Existentialism  has become even more popular. Its 
most  famous  proponent,  Jean-Paul  Sartre,  was  a  French  philosopher  who is widely known for 
his  words,  “Existence  precedes  essence.”  He  referred  to  “essence”  as  meaning  or  purpose. 
Contrary  to  a  religious  perspective  wherein  man  already  has  a  purpose  assigned  to  him  by  a 
supreme  being  even  before  he  existed  in  the  world,  Sartre’s  view is that man does not have a 
purpose  yet  when  he  is  born.  Man  existed  first,  without  meaning  or  purpose,  and  as  he goes 
through  his  life,  he  creates  the  meaning  and  purpose  for  himself.  For  the  Existentialists,  it  is 
the  individual,  not  the  society  who  can  provide  meaning  in  his  own  life.  Freedom, 
responsibility, and authenticity are the virtues that Existentialism has focused on.  

For  example,  you  were assigned a project by your teacher. You have formed a group and your 

groupmates  chose  you  as  their  leader.  In  this  situation,  you  have  the  ​freedom  to  choose 
whether  you  will  accept  the  leadership  or  not.  Whatever  you  choose,  it  would  lead  to  certain 
events  that  you  should  be  ​responsible  for  based  on  your  choice.  If  you  choose  to  accept the 

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leadership  and  the  project  becomes  a  success,  it’s  your  responsibility.  If  it  fails,  it  is  still  your 
responsibility.  ​Authenticity​,  on  the  other  hand,  is  the  virtue  of  being  true  to  oneself,  to  your 
own  desires  and  character. If you made the choice of accepting the leadership, the question is 
about  whether  it  is  your  ​true  wish.  Existentialists  upholds  authenticity,  as  being  true  to 
oneself  can  we  get  to  know  ourselves  and  provide  meaning  to  it.  Existentialists  believed  that 
people  who  pretend  and  are  not  honest  with  themselves  and  their  actions  are  acting  on  ​bad 
faith​. 

Since  the  ancient  times,  many  philosophers  have  attempted  to  put meaning on the life in this 
world.  Some  even  think  that  there  is  no  meaning  at  all  –  that  whatever  accomplishments 
humanity  has,  it  would  still  perish  one  day.  Some  think that it doesn’t have to be meaningless 
at  all  –  that  we  can  still  find meaning in small-scale, in our seemingly mundane everyday lives, 
and keep our attention to it until it goes to an end. 

Check Your Understanding 

Answer the following questions substantially. 

1. What did Socrates mean by, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”?

2. How do people find the meaning of life with a religious perspective?

3. How did the Second World War give rise to Existentialism?

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 Philosophy Applied 
Most  of  our  lives  are  governed  by  routine:  we  wake  up  in  the  morning,  take  a  bath,  eat  our 
meals,  go  to  school to study and see our friends, go back home and finish our homework, and 
sleep.  Tomorrow,  we  do  the  same.  We  may  have  a  bit  of  a  break  during  the  weekends  to 
spend  some  more  time  with  our  family,  but  afterwards, we would go back to our routine. Our 
lives  may  change  after  we  graduate  and  get  to  work,  but  we  would  still  settle  to  a  certain 
routine in our lives. What is it all for? Why do we do it at all? What is the meaning in all of it? 

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 ​Be the Philosopher! 

Suggested Learning Tasks 

Task:  On  a  paper,  write down three philosophical questions about man, life, and how he finds 

meaning  in  this  world.  Leave  a  sufficient  space  between  each  question.  Then,  find  a  partner 
whom  you  can  exchange  and  answer  the  papers  with.  If  applicable,  provide  examples  based 
on your own experiences to strengthen the argument of your answers. Afterwards, share your 
questions, answers, and examples to your class, and start an exchange of views and ideas. 

Criteria  Beginning  Developing  Accomplishe Score 

d  
(0-12 points)  (13-16 points) 
(17-20 points) 

Content  The ideas  The  The 

are  presentation  presentation 
unoriginal,  expressed  expressed a 
unclear, and  good and  lot of ideas, 
does not  on-point  and 
contribute  ideas, but  effectively 
to the topic.  with only a  incorporates 
few points  the 
that  philosophies, 
incorporate  and tells 
the  multiple 
philosophies.  thoughts and 
concepts that 
are 
stimulating. 

Organization  The flow of  The flow of  The flow of 
the  the  the 
presentation  presentation  presentation 

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 cannot be  is organized,  can be 
understood  although  understood 
and needs  there are  well and is 
improvemen some points  very 
t. The ideas that needed  organized. 
needed clarification.  There is clear 
more and smooth 
organization transition 
. from one 
point to 
another.  

Conventions  The writers  The writers  The writers 

did not  followed  complied to 
follow the  some of the  all the 
instructions,  instructions  instructions 
and the task  but also did  provided, and 
was not  not adhere to  the task was 
well-execute the others,  well-executed
d.  but the task  . 
was still 
well-executed
. 

Total Score: 

​Philosophy & I: Check and Reflect

Mark the appropriate boxes that define your understanding of the lessons. 

I think I need more  I have a minimal  I am confident that I 

Skills  understanding of it.  can do this with ease. 
time and assistance. 

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I can define the terms 
and ideas used in the 
lessons. 
I can use the method 
of philosophy to see 
the big picture of every 
situation I am in. 
I can apply the 
discussed philosophies 
in my life and the 
society where I belong. 

Wrap Up
● The  dialectic  method  of  philosophizing  is  a  method  of  discovering  the  truth  through  a
question  and  answer  process.  It  is  a  two-way  exchange  of  ideas  between  two  parties
with differing points of view.
● Both  the  Socratic  and  Hegelian  dialectic  methods  allow  the  thinkers  to learn from each
other’s perspective to arrive at a broader view of life.

Socratic dialogue:​ Questions Answers 

Hegelian dialectics: T
​ hesis Antithesis Synthesis 

● The  meaning  of  one’s  life  is  an  in-depth  and  personal  endeavor  one  must  take
throughout  its  course.  The  examination  of  one’s  life  contributes  to  its  significance
makes one’s existence more profound.
● Some  people  makes  their  life  meaningful  through  religion.  They  see  their  lives  as  a
journey  of  discovering  one’s  purpose  in  order  to  fulfill  the  will  of  God.  While  others
choose  to  create  the  meaning  for  themselves  through  an  exercise  of  freedom,
responsibility, and authenticity.

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 Bibliography

Gould, James A. and Mulvaney, Robert J. 2007. ​Classic Philosophical Questions​, 12​th​ ed. New 
Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, Inc. 

Nagel, Thomas. 1987. ​What Does It All Mean?: A Very Short Introduction To Philosophy​. New York: 
Oxford University Press, Inc. 

Palmer, Donald. 2002. D

​ oes The Center Hold?: An Introduction to Western Philosophy​. USA: The 
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 

Plato. ​The Trial And Death Of Socrates: Four Dialogues​. Translated by Benjamin Jowett. New York: 
Tudor Publishing Company, 1992. 

Answers to Check Your Understanding

​Lesson 1: ​The Bigger Picture 

1. A vaccine shot does not prevent a child from getting sick.
2. Genetically Modified Organisms are not (necessarily) harmful to the body.
3. Men are not (necessarily) better drivers than women.
4. Philosophy is not boring and unimportant.
5. Teenagers are not impulsive and irresponsible.

Lesson 2: ​The Picture Within 

1. What did Socrates mean by, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”?
Socrates  put  value  on  self-reflection.  “The  unexamined life is not worth living.” is meant
for  us  to  realize  that  we  should  analyze  our  lives  and  get  to  know  ourselves  better  so

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 we  can  proceed  to  it  in  a  more  meaningful  way.  Our  lives  would  only  be  worth  living  if 
we  know  who  we  are  and  act  on  decisions  that  are  well-founded  and  carefully 
examined. 

2. How do people find the meaning of life in a religious perspective?

People  who  believe  in  the  existence  of  a  supreme  being  also  believe  that  they  have
been  created  for  a  purpose  –  that  God  has  laid  out  a  plan  for  their  lives.  In  a  religious
perspective,  people  find  meaning  by  studying  and  attempting  to  understand  the will of
God.  Once  they  have  fulfilled  their  purpose,  their  live  would  come  to  an  end  and  they
shall be reunited with God.

3. How did the Second World War give rise to Existentialism?

The  devastation  brought  by  the  war  made  people  realize  that  each  life  is,  indeed,
precious  and  short.  An  individual’s  life  was  put  into  the spotlight, and that individuality,
instead  of  the  society,  should  be  given  emphasis.  This  has  led  Existential  philosophers
to  write  on  how  one  can  provide  a  more  meaningful  experience  to  make  life  more
profound and significant.

Glossary 

1. Antithesis – ​the direct opposite of a thesis

2. Authenticity – t​ he virtue of being true to one’s character or personality
3. Dialectics – t​ he method of philosophical discussion through a dialogue
4. Existentialism – a ​ 20​th​ century school of thought that focused on individual existence
5. Introspection – t​ he act of reflecting about oneself; an inspection of the self
6. Synthesis – ​the product of presenting the antithesis towards the thesis to attain a
higher form of truth
7. Thesis – ​a prevailing idea or proposition

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