LESSON 3:

THE HUMAN PERSON AS

AN EMBODIED SPIRIT
 OBJECTIVES:
Before the end of chapter, the students will learn to;

• Value his/her life as embodied spirit;

• Give importance to the body;
• Recognize his own limitations and possibilities; and,
• Distinguish the limitations and possibilities for
transcedence.
 The
Human
Body
The Living body is:

1. A Dignified Body
• Because inherent with it is a dignity that needs to be respected. His
value is immeasurable. Each human being belongs to the universal
family guided by moral principle: Do unto others what you would want
others do unto you (Confucius).
• Because its body parts have unique function through its senses.
• Because it has a mind capable of high intellectual processes like
thinking, willing and feeling (soul).
• Because it is a body of a unique person who was once with us(past). It
carries with him the memories of the past.
• Because it is a body of a living person who is and will be with us in our
struggle for life (Present and Future).
2. Body as a component part of a Person

• Because body is the medium between the self and the world.
• Because the body is not a mere object tagged with material value.
Its value is immeasurable and limitless. The body should not be
considered as a mode of payment of/for any business transaction.
It should not be considered an object of pleasure or fantasy.
• Because there is a symbolic relationship between the body and the
soul. When the self or the living person acts or reacts as an
individual in the environment, there is a noticeable effect in his
soul.
Is your body your
PROPERTY?
 THREE CONDITIONS TO MEET BEFORE YOU CAN
CLAIM THE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR BODY: (DY,
PHILOSOPHY OF MAN)
1. Nobody owns my body except me alone. It is mine and mine alone.
The manner of ownership of the human body cannot be equated
with owning an object. If you throw, smash or tear apart your body
just like when you throw, smash or tear apart an object , you will
just hurt you because you and your body are one.
2. A person should be responsible over what he/she
owns.

To be responsible is a mark of free being. Ownership of something

is an inherent right that only an intelligent free being can enjoy it .
Therefore, only human being can claim ownership. The word
responsibility is a state or fact of having a duty to deal with
something or having control over someone.
If you claim the ownership of your body, you should take these
advice:

• Eat nutritious foods.

• Drink healthy drinks.
• Take a bathe regularly.
• Sleep early (8 hours)
• Keep away from vices (smoking, drinking alcohol) because they
shorten our life span.
• Do not go to places that will harm you.
• Maintain cleanliness in your environment.
• Think positive thoughts because whatever comes from your
mind, your body follows.
• Dress clean clothes.
• Brush your teeth.
• Take daily exercise.
• Take vitamins when needed.
• Take care of your senses.
3. Ownership presupposes full control over what he/she owns.

Are you in full control of your body? The answer is “WE”

who’re controlling and not the body. If something happens ,you
blame nobody else but yourself. At the end of the line you are
still the last person to answer the consequence of your own
action.
 Is body an
INSTRUMENT?
• Our body is not an object ,it cannot be instrument.
Instrument means something being use to enhance or
reinforce part of your body.

Parts of the body That need reinforcement:

1.Eyes- eyeglasses, telescope, microscope
2.Hands- gloves
3.Ear – earpiece to sharpen hearing.
4.Feet- shoes, slippers, sandals and socks.
 TRIVIA ABOUT THE HUMAN
BODY
Do you know that…

• The smallest bone in the human body is found in your ear.

• The average human brain contains around 78% of water.
• Your skin is the largest organ making up the human body.
• You burn more calories sleeping than watching tv.
• The human body of a 70 kg person contains 0.2 mg. of gold.
• Women blink twice as much as men
• You take over 23,000 breaths everyday.
• Your foot and your forearm are the same length.
• Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete.
• Your mouth produces 1 liter of saliva everyday.
• Your head contains 22 bones
• If your DNA was stretched out it would reach to the moon 6,000
times.
• You begin to feel thirsty when your body losses 1% of water.
• Most active muscles are in your eyes.
• Your liver has over 500 functions.
• Your brain uses 25% of all the oxygen you breathe.
• The hydrochloric acid found in your stomach is strong enough to
dissolve a nail.
• Average you blink 25,000 times a day.
• You shed a complete layer of skin every 4 weeks.
• People who work at night tend to weigh more.
• Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in
your ear 700 times.
• You use 72 different muscles while speaking.
• Your right lung takes in more air than your left.
• The average person has 10,000 taste buds .
• There are over 10 trillion living cells in the human body.
• Your blood is 6 times thicker than water.
• The night vision of tigers is 6 times better than humans.
• The average person consumes over a ton of food and drink a
year.
• A person will die from total lack of sleep sooner than from
starvation. Death can occur about 10 days without sleep
while starvation takes a few weeks.
• Humans shed and regrow outer skin cells every 27 days
(almost 1,000 new skins in a lifetime).
• It takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown.
The Classical Philosophers
SOCRATES(470-399 BC)
-HE IS KNOWN AS THE GREATEST
PHILOSOPHER IN THE WESTERN
CIVILIZATION.
 PHILOSOPHY OF SOCRATES
1.Human person is a soul.
2.As a soul, he is incarcerated in the body for the time
being.
3.The sustenance (food) of a human person, as a soul, is
knowledge. This is the first nourishment.
4.Knowledge is not for the sake of knowledge, but
knowledge for truth about good life.
• The human person is obligated to know the truth and
practice it without error
• Living in truth is called wisdom. This is the 2nd
nourishment. Those who live by the truth and in truth
is called a wise man.
• A human person who is habitually practicing a good life
is a virtuous person. This is the third nourishment.
• Virtue is a mark and characteristics of a true and
upright man.
PLATO (428-347 BC)

-THE BRIGHTEST STUDENT OF

SOCRATES. HE IS ONE OF THE
WORLD’S BEST KNOWN AND
WIDELY READ AND STUDIED
PHILOSOPHER.
 MAIN CONTRIBUTIONS
1.He continued the basic teachings of his master and did some
innovations with regards to the philosophy of the human person.
2.There is a dichotomy between the body and the soul.Which means :
the soul existed prior to the body. The soul must exist before he
incarcerated (Put into prison) in the body.
3.He is known for his 2 kinds of world: The world of forms and the world
of senses.
• The soul exists in the world of forms and it is a perfect world wherein
existence is authentic, no limitations and no forgetfulness.
• Simultaneous with the world of form is the world of senses.
What exists in the world of senses is simultaneous with what
exists in the world of forms. The thing that exists in the world
of senses is only the shadow in the world of forms.
• Life in the world of senses is a life of imperfections. But
perfect life in the world of senses can still be regained by
means of contemplating the life In the world of forms.
ARISTOTLE (384-322 BC)

- A GREEK PHILOSOPHER AND

SCIENTIST BORN IN THE CITY
OF STAGIRA IN THE NORTHERN
PERIPHERY OF CLASSICAL
GREECE. HE WAS THE
BRIGHTEST STUDENT OF
PLATO.
 MAIN IDEAS
In contrast to the philosophy of his teacher, he developed the theory of
“hylemorphism”, the concept of matter and form. There is a big difference
between the concept of matter and form of Plato against the concept of
Aristotle. According to Aristotle, every existing being has matter and form.

1. He developed the theory of Hylemorphism.

• Hyle- is a Greek word which means in English “matter” or “wood”.
• Morphe- is a Greek word which means in English “form”.
2. The body is consist of 2 intrinsic principles: one potential matter and a
substantial form.
• Matter is the material component which has the capacity to
receive life.
• Form is the act which substatiates the matter.
3. In case of the human person, the body is known as the matter
and the soul is the form.
• The body is the matter to the soul while the soul is the form to
the body. Matter and form is inseparable.
• The soul is the principle of life. It gives life to the body. It is the
perfection of the body to be what it is.
4. THREE KINDS OF SOUL
• The vegetative soul- soul for plants. Function is to feed, grow
and reproduce.
• Sentient soul- soul for lower animals like dogs, cats,etc. From
the latin word “sentire” which means to feel. Lower animals act
according to what they feel.
• Rational soul- soul for man. Man does according to what they
understand. From the latin word “ratio” which means to reason
out.
MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHERS
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
(BORN 1226 AD)

-THE ANGELIC DOCTOR. A

PHILOSOPHER AND THEOLOGIAN
DURING THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD. HE
WAS INFLUENCED BY THE PHILOSOPHY
OF ARISTOTLE.
1.Human person is the union of body (matter) and soul (form
2.The body is considered the potency and the soul is the act.
• Potency is the capacity of something to become another thing.
Characteristics of matter to become something else.
• Act is the perfection. The soul is considered the act. The body
is actualized when the soul is united with it.

3. The body (in union with the soul) becomes one substance.
• A substance is a being that can exist by itself.
• Substance because it acts, it wills, it knows and it thinks..
• The soul when unified with the body, like sensation is
possible.
4. Human person (union of body and soul) is a substance
by participation.
• Participation means the existence of a finite being
depends on the existence of infinite being (GOD).
• Every corporeal being is a substance by participation.
5. Death is a reality
• Death is the separation between body and soul.
This is a reality for all substances-by-participation.
You and I will die. Soon. This is a fact.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING 😊!
 PREPARED BY:

JASMINE LINETH PASTOR - LEADER

MARIEL GABRIEL
JAYNEE CUNANAN
JOEMAR UNAY
LOUIEVER GASTON
JEREMIE VEGILLA
RATING:

PRESENTATION OF VISUAL AID (40%)……………40

CLARITY OF THE REPORT (50%)…………………….48
TEAMWORK (10%)………………………………………. 8

TOTAL…………………………………………………………..96%