INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY REVIWER

2ND QUARTER
(BY: JOHN RICO ESPIRITU)

LESSON 5 - FREEDOM OF THE HUMAN we can imagine new actions and decide to
PERSON undertake them

FREEDOM REFLECTION – recall and ask yourself why you

- an intrinsic and essential property of chose to take the action - reflecting upon your
the person actions will enable you to know yourself BETTER
- human by nature is a free being and that as a PERSON
it is in his nature to seek freedom
- the ability to make choices and perform FREEDOM
actions ( important indication of human - requires a degree of control from the
freedom ) person who exercises it
- “ FREEDOM TO ACT “ sets us apart from - a person becomes more free when he
other beings EXERCISES CONTROL OVER HIMSELF
- A person becomes LESS FREE when he
ANIMAL HUMAN is NO longer in control of himself
- performs certain - varied actions and - Human action can uphold or diminish
task on command reactions freedom.
- follows a set of - ability to imagine
pattern the future DEHUMANIZED - persons who are DENIED
their freedom by other individuals, groups, and
- acts instinctively
institutions e.g. slavery; bondage; imprisoned;
- follows a pre- wronged person
determined course
- pre-determined KINDS OF FREEDOM
responses to 1. Physical Freedom
certain stimuli
- refers to the absence of any physical
restraint
FREEDOM
- freedom of mobility
- the power to be what you want to be
and the ability to decide and create - not impeded in his actions by any
yourself physical force
- many characteristics that define our - allows a person to act or move in a
personality are often PRODUCT OF OUR determined manner
CHOICES, PREFERENCES and VIEWS - allows to move from one place to another
- nature as a human person gives the and go wherever you want to go
ability to imagine the future
- gives the ability to strive to achieve that 2. Psychological Freedom
goal - refers to freedom of choice
- rooted in the human person’s SELF – - free to perform actions that he considers
DETERMINATION and the EXERCISE right and wise
OF INTELLECT and FREEWILL - free to act or not to act
- a person’s every action is freely - innate and cannot be denied a person
determined and these actions define him - no outside force or influence can compel
a person to take action against his will
SELF-DETERMINATION – capability to make 3. Moral Freedom
choices and decisions - refers to the responsible use of freedom
in a manner that upholds HUMAN
NATURE OF SELF – DETERMINATION - a DIGNITY and GOODNESS
person’s actions determine what kind of person - a person must use his freedom to GROW
he becomes AS A PERSON
FREEWILL – do actions when he wants to Humans have a NATURAL inclination for what is
FREEDOM – enables us to come up with NEW TRUE and GOOD, and when a person uses his
CHOICES freedom to do acts that violate human dignity
and goodness, he dehumanizes himself and
ESSENCE OF FREEDOM – it does not confine effectively negate human freedom
our actions to those set or expected by others;
TWO (2) ELEMENTS OF HUMAN FREEDOM
1. Voluntariness
- refers to the ability of a person to act out
of his own FREE WILL and SELF –
DETERMINATION
- a person may decide TO ACT or NOT TO
ACT, and these decisions are made out of
his own free will
- a person may act even if he is not
required or called to take action
Voluntary Acts - free acts which can be assigned
a corresponding moral value
Consequences – affect not only the person who
commits the action, but also other people and
our surroundings
2. Responsibility
- refers to the person being accountable
for his actions and their consequences
- can either mean a person voluntarily
taking responsibility for his own action,
or being held responsible by other people
- can have positive or negative meaning,
and goes hand – in – hand with
VOLUTARINESS in determining the
morality of an action
FREEDOM
- experienced through the ACT OF
MAKING CHOICES
- although freedom gives the ability to
think of countless decisions and possible
actions, we only get to choose to ENACT
ONE OF THESE POSSIBLE actions or
decisions
- choosing TO ACT or NOT TO ACT
whichever is the acceptable and moral
choice in a given situation
SELF – REFLECTION
- vital in the proper exercise of human
freedom
- requires us to reflect on our ACTIONS,
consider their EFFECTS, and make the
PROPER CHOICES regarding the most
BENEFICIAL DECISIONS or ACTIONS
LESSON 6 – INTERSUBJECTIVITY
HUMAN
• has the natural and universal tendency to
relate, to establish attachments, and seek close
relationships with other people
• Human nature drives to reach out to other
people and interact with them in meaningful
ways
• Harmonious relationship between people is
very important
• Have to maintain good relations with people for
activities to be productive, meaningful, and
beneficial
HOW DO WE AS HUMAN PERSONS RELATE
WITH OTHERS?
 PAKIKIPAGKAPWA-TAO or the ability to
engage in meaningful interactions with
other people and surroundings and the
things around him – is rooted in our
capacity for SELF - AWARENESS and
TRANSCENDENCE. Before we begin to
relate with others, we must first be aware
of ourselves as rational individuals capable
of determined and reasonable action
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS
- are made possible when the SELF
becomes aware of the OTHER
- recognizing the self in the other includes
everyone and everything OUTSIDE OF
THE SELF
OTHER
 a being or thing that exists OUTSIDE of
your SELF
 You only interact with OBJECTS when
you need to use them but interacting
with other human beings is a more
complex act
 Our human nature not only enables us to
recognize the SELF that defines our
individuality, it also enables us to
recognize that other human beings also
possess a SELF
Philosophers define interpersonal relations as:
RECOGNIZING THE SELF IN THE OTHER
INTERSUBJECTIVITY
- INTERACTION between the self and the
other which is the mutual recognition of
each other as persons - allows a person
to become closer to others many
different ways
- a unique relationship between distinct
subjects
- shared awareness and understanding
among persons.
- made possible by the awareness of the
self and others
UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
DISTINCT SUBJECTS
• refers to the characteristic of the human person
to engage in a very intimate and personal
relationship with others who are different from
him but who are also like him
• relationship between the SELF and the OTHER
enables the person to relate others and establish
and maintain meaningful relationships
• the person has an INNER LIFE OR
INTERIORITY
INNER LIFE OR INTERIORITY – allows a
person to give himself to others; receive others
in his life
LEVELS OF SELF – OTHER INTERACTION
• simple awareness of the existence of the
OTHER
• awareness of the SELF BEING SEEN BY
OTHERS
SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS
- considered by philosophers as a defining
characteristic of the self – other
relationship
- awareness of the “ self in the other “
- the way we act with other people is often
influenced by our ideas of how these
people see us
SEEMING
• the way a person presents himself when
dealing with others
• the way we act with other people is often
influenced by our ideas of how these people see
us (SOCIAL CONTEXT)
• an individual presents himself in a certain way
when dealing with others
• Persons take on “roles” or act out characters
when dealing with certain people or when in
certain situations
WHAT CHARATERIZES A GENUINE HUMAN
INTERACTION?
1. DIALOGUE
• deep and genuine relationship / interaction
between people
• made possible when the SELF realizes that the
OTHER is a genuine and unique individual
• happens when two persons truly acknowledge
each other’s presence and treat each other as
equals
• interaction between persons that happens
through SPEECH or the USE OF WORDS,
EXRESSIONS, and BODY LANGUAGE
• the person is being OPEN to others, and is
capable of receiving others
• communication that usually occurs through a
CONVERSATION
CASUAL CONVERSATIONS
• discussing news or occurrences CLOSE
CONVERSATION
• personal issues: LIFE GOALS EMOTIONAL
PROBLEMS MORAL DILEMMAS
• seek out a person whose trustworthy and
reliable to listen to your thoughts and concerns
DIALOGUE – occurs when two persons “ open
up” to each other and give and receive one
another in their encounter
GENUINE DIALOGUE – occurs when persons
are willing to share themselves with one another
- acceptance of each other’s uniqueness and
differences
2. EMPATHY
• ability to share emotions
• important aspect of intersubjectivity
• this emotion is driven by a person’s awareness
that the OTHER is a person with thoughts and
feelings
• enables us to experience another person’s
emotions, such as happiness, anger, and sadness
• not only to share and offer comfort during a
difficult experience, but also to feel the grief of
the person and PLACE YOURSELF IN HIS SHOES
• leads to a greater understanding and
appreciation of others Sympathy- is the feeling of
support for something, the feeling that you care
about and are sorry about someone else’s
trouble. Sympathetic feeling or the “feeling-with”
situation.
SYMPATHY is “ feeling with “ and EMPATHY is “
feeling in
3. AVAILABILITY
• the willingness of a person to
- be present for another
- be at the disposal of another
- render assistance to another
4. ETHICS OF CARE
• an ethical theory that emphasizes the moral
dimension of human relationships and
interactions
• this moral perspective encourages individuals
to help other people, most especially the
vulnerable
• 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
- a state when a person ceases to view the
OTHER as a distinct and authentic person
- the person considers others as merely
objects or means to satisfy personal
interests or desires
- pessimistic view that considers human
relationships frustrating and often
inauthentic or deceptive
FOUNDATION OF MEANINGFUL AND
BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIPS
Values of:
• acceptance ( acceptance of differences )
• openness ( embracing diversities )
• respect
ACCEPTANCE OF DIFFERENCES – understand SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY - the basic
that every person is unique ( physical traits, meaning of social contract theory is the voluntary
behavior, views, beliefs, ideas) agreement among individuals by which,
EMBRACING DIVERSITY – what unites us all is according to any various theories, as of Hobbes,
our shared humanity and dignity Locke, and Rousseau, organized society is
brought into being and invested with the right to
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAVE secure mutual protection and welfare to regulate
SUCCEFULLY RISEN ABOVE THEIR the relations among its members. It is an
PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS TO LIVE agreement where individuals sacrifice an amount
PRODUCTIVE LIVES of their freedom and submit to higher authority.
In this way, society is able to function and meet
1. HELEN KELLER (1880-1968) - American the needs of the many, ensuring the survival of
author, political activist and the first deaf and humanity.
blind person to earn a bachelor’s degree. She
lost her hearing and sight when she was an STATE OF NATURE - time in which people work
infant due to illness. At age 22, she together, no contract has been set up (a pre-
published an autobiography, The Story of my social condition), no government has been set
life, which described her life and struggles up.
growing up. The book became the basis of a
popular play titled The Miracle Worker. VIEWS OF PHILOSOPHERS on HUMAN
NATURE and GOVERNMENT
2. NICHOLAS JAMES “NICK” VUJICIC (born HOBBES LOCKE ROUSSEAU
1982) - an Australian Evangelist and Man is… Evil and Good, Good but
motivational speaker who were born with Selfish cooperativ screwed up
phocomelia, a condition in which a person is e and by society
born with no arms or legs. Because of his reasonabl
condition he was bullied as he grew up, but it e
did not stop him from pursuing his dreams. Governme Governm Needed to Needed to
Pursue a career as a motivational speaker nt is… ent is benefit impose
and evangelist. In 2005, he founded Life needed the public social
without Limbs, a non-profit organization and to contract
ministry. protect
the
3. ROSELLE AMBUBUYOG (born 1980) - the public
first visually – impaired Filipino to graduate Governme All Condition Arbitrary;
summa cum laude from Ateneo de Manila nt should powerful al; can be can be
University in 2001. Roselle lost her eye sight be… and overthrow overthrow
at the age of six due to an illness. She cannot
initiated “Project Roselle” together with the be
Rotary Club of Makati. She worked at overthro
Freedom Scientific, Inc. as a consultant in w
developing software for people who are Power Power Power Power
visually-impaired and those with learning should should should be should be
disabilities. She worked as a product and be… not be shared by shared and
support manager at Code Factory, which is shared, executive direct
the world’s leading provider of software that exclusive and (representat
allow the visually-impaired to access mobile for legislative ive not
devices such as cell phones. Roselle is a executive needed)
motivational speaker and had given several only
talks and seminars to students, teachers and ,power
professionals. should
be
LESSON 7: THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE absolute
SOCIETY
THOMAS HOBBES
SOCIAL CONTEXTS - The social environment, • For Thomas Hobbes, persons in their natural
social context, sociocultural context or milieu states are governed by their desires and these
refers to the immediate physical and social often lead to conflict with their fellowmen.
setting in which people live or in which Society, therefore, is the means by which people
something happens or develops. It includes the seek to control their natural tendencies and
culture that the individual was educated or lives impose order.
in, and the people and institutions with whom • Individuals who establish societies enter into a
they interact. “social contract” – an agreement where
individuals sacrifice an amount of their freedom
and submit to a higher authority
JOHN LOCKE
• John Locke proposed his own ideas on the
social contract with a different assumption.
Unlike Hobbes, Locke considered people in their
natural states as more cooperative and
reasonable, and that society is formed through
the consent of the individuals that organized it.
This concept is known as the “consent of the
governed”
• Locke social contract is a covenant among
individuals to cooperate and share the burden of
upholding the welfare of the society.
• The authority that established to run the
society should reflect ideals of the organized it.
Should this authority fail to uphold its obligation
or live up to the ideals of the people, it will be
discarded and replaced with a new one.
JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU
• Jean Jacques Rousseau’s ideas on the social
contract led him to advocate the concept of the “
general will”. Rousseau believed that even if the
people are the ones who organized society and
established an authority or government, in
extreme cases, the government is able to impose
its will on the people.
• This is based on the assumption that the
people have empowered the government to act
on their behalf, and that it is considered to be
the best judge of what is most beneficial for
society.
JOHN RAWLS
• He redefined the social contract and explained
that human beings approach social cooperation
in a rational manner in order to meet their
individual self-interests. Rawls introduced a
version of the natural state which he called the
“original position” to explain social foundation.
He imagined humans as having a “veil of
ignorance”, or no knowledge of one’s own
characteristics such as gender, race, or social
status. In this state, humans would naturally
seek a just and fair society.
• It is important to note that society is founded
on the concept of the “common good”. It is
important to note that society is founded on the
concept of the “common good”.
• COMMON GOOD - The common good refer to
the social conditions which enables person and
groups to fulfill their goals and achieve well –
being. Ex. Peace in the community
THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF SOCIETIES
1. Hunting and Gathering - the earliest and
simplest form of society. It is generally
characterized by its small size and is
composed mainly of families. They are
nomadic because they spend most of their
time searching for food and thus, have no
permanent territory.
2. Pastoral Society - This typed of society is
characterized by the domestication of
animals for food for a more stable and
predictable food supply. Pastoral
communities have larger populations than
hunting and gathering societies and remain
longer in one place. In addition pastoral
societies often produce surplus food and
resources which they trade in other societies.
3. Horticulture Society - A horticulture
society primarily engages in the small-scale
cultivation of plants, fruits, and vegetables
and the domestication of animals.
Horticulture societies are semi-nomadic,
which means that they travel to another
place when they have already depleted the
resources in one area. In this society, roles
and responsibilities are more clearly defined
with many task assigned according to
gender. Similar to the pastoral society, there
is also a surplus of goods, which sometimes
leads to inequalities among its members.
4. Agrarian or Agriculture society - This
type of society is a further evolution of the
pastoral and horticulture societies.
Agriculture involves the large-scale and long-
term cultivation of crops and domestication
of animals. This society is characterized by
improved technology and the use of tools to
aid in farming. Improved technology and
farming methods result in increased
production, giving rise to a growing
population in agricultural societies. The large
population of agricultural societies leads to a
more structured social system.
5. Feudal Society - a feudal society is based
on the ownership of land. Land lords grant
their followers or vassals the right to manage
a parcel of land. These vassals, in turn are
served by peasant workers who cultivate the
land and tend to the animals in the farms. In
return for their services, they are provided
military protection.
6. Industrial Society - An industrial society is
based on the use of specialized machinery in
the production of goods and services. The
advances in science and technology in the
late 18th century resulted in the Industrial
Revolution, which in turn gave rise to new
production and industrial methods. As well as
innovation in transportation and
communication. The capitalist or business
owners are considered the most influential.
This type of society is also characterized by
cultural diversity and the presence of
bureaucratic organization.
7. Post- Industrial Society - The post-
industrial society is marked by the
establishment of societies based on
knowledge, information, and the sale of
services. Led by the human mind and aided
 by highly advanced technology, the trend has
shifted from industry to generation, storage,
manipulation, and sale of information.
Information influences the behavior of people
and has thus become a very important
commodity in the post industrial society.
Members of this society have higher
educational attainment, better training and
specialized roles. The “Virtual society”,
where people organize themselves through
communication technology and the internet,
is a product of a post- industrial society.
HOW DOES SOCIETY INFLUENCE OUR
DEVELOPMENT AS A PERSON?
Society influences our development as persons in
various ways, they are:
1. NORMS - which are a set of traits and
behavior that society considers acceptable.
2. LAWS – These are rules in society that have
been place for a long time. These rules
influenced our knowledge, Laws are more formal
and stringent (strict/tight) norms that establish
and define acceptable behavior of citizens. Laws
also prescribe the consequences or penalties that
will be imposed on violators.
3. FOLKWAYS - these are less formal norms
that arise from tradition and do not result in
punishment when violated
 Social System - an organized patterned
set of relationships among individuals
and groups that compose a society.
Members of society act and interact with
an established social system.
 Social Role - defined as an actions or
behavior expected of a certain individual
 Social Groups Or Social Classes -
Individuals who share similar
backgrounds or perform similar roles
 Social Institutions - Certain groups
that perform vital functions in society
4. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETY -
has brought about significant changes in the way
human being relate to each other. Early societies
centered on the family and the clan, but the
emergence of industrial societies transformed
human relations, as interactions were no longer
based only on family and community ties, but
also interactions in the workplace. Virtual
Societies have brought about another great
transformation in human relations, as improved
communication technologies make it possible for
people from faraway places to interact closely
with each other.
4. SOCIAL VALUES - which are actions or
ideals that are considered important by
society. Values such as cooperation,
obedience to the law, concern for others,
and respect for others are considered
vital to maintaining an orderly society.
LESSON 8: HUMAN PERSON AS ORIENTED
TOWARDS THEIR IMPENDING DEATH
DEATH – is commonly understood as the end of
bodily functions which signals the end of a
person’s life. It also refers to the separation of
the body and the spirit. The human person is an
embodied spirit. The body, being material, is
bound by the laws of time and space and is
subject to growth, death and decay. The spirit,
being immaterial, will continue to exist even after
the body has passed.
• Understanding the person as a being-towards-
death brings us back to a very important topic:
FREEDOM, it has been discussed that the
essence of freedom is SELF – DETERMINATION –
the capacity to choose and act for oneself.
• As biological beings bound by natural laws and
the inevitability of death, we cannot stop aging
and the eventual decline of our bodies.
• The temporal existence of a person means that
his or her life is temporary he or she is not a
being who exists permanently and for eternity.
Accepting the fact that we have a limited time in
this world allows us to determine the course of
our life – to paint a picture of how our life will
progress and how we envision it o end.
• Temporality challenges us to make choices that
will be good for us and the people around us. It
must also be noted that since we have a body,
we are always in the moment - we exist in the
here and now. The person is always in the
present although his spiritual nature allows him
to transcend the present. Whenever we make a
choice, we cannot undo that choice because that
present moment has gone now into the past.
• It can also be said that we are being who are
moving towards our impending (to be about to
occur) death. This makes a person’s life limited
in time. The focus on this limit has led to several
attitudes towards death.
• The term END can be understood in two ways,
some philosophers view end as a “terminus”
which means the full stop or end of a line. For
them, life ends, and nothing follows. Other,
however, consider end as “telos” which means
goal, purpose, or fulfillment.
• The Human person is not born into this world
just so he or she could die. Man is put on earth
to live a meaningful life, to be virtuous, and
achieve excellence.
HAPPINESS – is a state of being and not merely
an emotional experience or chosen mental
attitude. What makes a person happy is that
which fits his nature- we are made truly happy
by things that are true and good. On the other
hand, what is false and evil does not make a
person happy.
NOBLE GOOD – is one which is pursuedfor its
own sake; it is good in itself.

USEFUL GOOD – is considered good so long as

it serves as a means to an end; its goodness is
found only from what it can provide

PLEASURABLE GOOD – is good so long as it

provides some form of pleasure, though it does
not have to be physical.

SUFFERING – takes place when we patiently

endure unpleasantness, discomfort, and pain.

PHYSICAL SUFFERING – when we experienced

physical sensations such as discomfort, hunger,
distress and pain.

MENTAL SUFFERING – involves emotional and

mental states such as depression, anxiety, fear,
loneliness and grief