CL

Body and Sexuality

A Christian Perspective of Gender and Sexual Issues

Chapter 1: The Disciplinary Approach on the Human Body

 Anatomy and Physiology

- Anatomy- Study of the structures and relationships between body parts (what your body is)
- Physiology- study of how human body parts come together to function and keep the body alive
(what your body does)
- Human Body- entire structure of a human being composed of many different types of cells.

1. Psychology- the study of the mind

- Mind- the experience of a person has of him or herself composed of thoughts, emotions,
memories, desires, beliefs, sensations even consciousness itself, and such experience
can be located in the body.
- Whatever the mind thinks that is what the body percievs.
2. Sociology-state of society
- Construction
- Representation
- Experience
- Body techniques
- Theories of Sociology
o Construction
 the body is not a natural phenomenon but is socially constructed. i.e.
Simone de Beavoir (The Second Sex, 1972)
 It is socially directed hence the society dictates what the human body
does.
 Everything that the human body does is directed by the society.
o Representation
 Represent the human body to the different aspects of the society (ex.
Head of the state, right hand/kanang kamay)
o Experience
 Examine the phenomenology (life experience) of the lived body, or the
experience of embodiment in the everyday world.
o Body Techniques
 Significantly influenced by anthropology looks at the body as a collection
of practices or techniques.
3. Philosophy
- The human body is an embodiment.
 -Starts when you think/wonder.
-Human embodiment
o The idea/description that perceives good-looking, etc. will not exist without the
human body.
4. Theology
- Pope John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla)
o “Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body.”
- Pope Francis (Jorge Matio Bergoglio)
o Human Ecology

Chapter 2: The Foundations of Body

Dualism- Philosopical view of something that is made up of two irreducible elements.

- Single entity but you have 2 or more elements.

Ex. Iisa lang ang piso but it has 2 faces.

Philosophical Timelines/Epoch

 Ancient
 Medieval
 Modern
 Contemporary

1. Ancient
a. Cosmoc entrism- has a vision of reality that places the highest importance or emphasis in
the universe or nature.
- For them, human beings are useless/simply a speck of dust.
 Socrates
- Father of Philosophy
- “Know thyself”
- He strongly believed that every human being had a responsibility to lvie up to their
physical potential.
 Plato
 Theory of Forms- emphasizes on the perfection of ideals.
 Matter- considered particular in itself, all physical things that are made. It composes the
world of substance.
 Form- composes the true, good, and beautiful. They are more real than any objects that
imitate them.

World of Forms/ Ideas

World of Matter Physical

  Body- it is not immortal
- Corruptible
- Physical part of a person that is only concerned.
 Mind- helps us to grasp the abstract things
 Soul- driving force/ animating principle of the body. Soul is separated from the body

“Plato”- when a person dies, the body decomposes

Aristotle- like a scientist who experiments

 Metaphysics- (meta-beyond; physis-physical)

- You won’t see it because it doesn’t exist.

On Body and Soul- a living creature is a ‘substance’ (body-matter, soul-form)

 Human Body- a substance that has essence.

 Soul- the structure of the body; function and organization.
 Reason- tha ability of the soul; highest form of rationality.

When the human body dies, the soul and reason dies.