THE HUMAN

LESSON 7:
INTRODUCTION TO PERSON AND THE
PHILOSOPHY OF THE
HUMAN PERSON
SOCIETY

Presented by :
Sir Ryan Estonio
WHAT YOU CAN LEARN AND
DO IN THIS LESSON:

1.Understand the interplay between the individuality of

human beings and their social context; 
2.Evaluate the formation of human relationships and how
individual are shaped by their social context; and 
3.Compare different forms of societies and individualities.
WHAT IS SOCIETY?
SOCIETY

• A society is an organized group of people whose

members interact frequently and have a common
territory and culture.
• It also refers to a companionship or friendly
association with others , an alliance, a
community, or a union.
 ORIGIN OF THE WORD “SOCIETY”
THE TERM "SOCIETY" CAME FROM THE LATIN
WORD SOCIETAS, WHICH MEANS COMRADE, FRIEND OR
ALLY.
 

It is used to describe a bond or

interaction between parties that are
friendly, or at least civil.
WHAT DRIVES HUMAN TO
ESTABLISH SOCIETIES?

• The human person exists to relate others. The

person is by nature a social being because he has the
tendency to go out of himself to form bonds and
relationship with others.
• Our freedom gives us the opportunity to pursue
various activities to achieve our goals and attain well
being happiness.
• Society also makes possible the emergence of
certain individuals. The survival of a human being is
essentially rooted in a society and human relations.
• Example: Filipinos value family ties
with family members while Western
families send elderly to retirement
homes.
FILIPINO VALUES WESTERN VALUES
 THE SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY

• Thomas Hobbes - persons in their natural states are

governed by their desires and these often lead to conflict
with their fellowmen.
• John Locke - considered persons in their natural states as
more cooperative and reasonable, and that society is formed
through the consent of the individuals that organized it.
• Jean Jacques Rousseau – advocated the concept of
the general will.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT
FORMS OF SOCIETIES?

• Hunting and Gathering

Societies- the earliest and
simplest form of society . It is
generally characterized by its
small size and its composed
mainly of families.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF
SOCIETIES?

• Pastoral Society – characterized by

the domestication of animals for
food for a more stable and
predictable food supply.
WHAT ARE THE
DIFFERENT FORMS
OF SOCIETIES?
• Horticultural Society-
primarily engages in the small-
scale cultivation of plants ,
fruits and vegetables and
domestication of animals.
• Society is the backdrop by which we adopt the prevailing culture,
identity, values, ideas and knowledge of the persons, groups, and
communities that surround us.
• Society influences the interactions of its members through the
establishment of norms, which are set of traits and behavior that
society considers acceptable,and are thus encouraged and passed on
the other members.
• Laws in our society, which are more formal and stringent
norms, define acceptable behavior of our citizens.
• Society also transforms human relations, which leads to
the transformation of its members. A person will undertake
various social roles as he continually interacts with other
members of society.
 
• John Rawls – redefined the social
contract and explained that human
beings approach social cooperation
in a rational manner in order to
meet their individual self interest.
• David Gauthier- described people's
self- interest as a significant factor
in building and maintaining
societies.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
SOCIETY IS FOUNDED ON THE
CONCEPT OF THE COMMON
GOOD.  THE COMMON
GOOD REFERS TO THE SOCIAL
CONDITIONS WHICH ENABLE
PERSONS AND GROUPS TO
FULFILL THEIR GOALS AND
ACHIEVE WELL-BEING.