Session 3: The Human Person as Embodied Subject

Philosophical and Theological discussion consider human being as something

more than his/her own body. That behind all the uniqueness of mans’ capability there is
something more on his mysterious sides. The finiteness of man lies an infinite aspect
that beyond mans’ rational comprehension. An unseen aspect of human being that
gives us life, potentialities, and capabilities that philosophy and theology call it “The
Soul”, which is the very core of human existence. Theology wise, if do not have soul we
do not have life as well. Just as the image above the souls comes from a certain source,
the giver of life who is God.

Course Objectives

1. Recognize how the human body imposes limits and possibilities for
transcendence
2. Evaluate own limitations and the possibilities for their transcendence

Lesson 1: An embodied Subject; An Existentialist Point of View

Lesson Objectives:

1. Understand the concept of embodiment in light of existentialism’s eye

2. Make phenomenological inquiry on one’s existential experience, and
3. Value the existence of oneself.
Required viewing

1. What is embodiment Dr. Sue Morter-https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=RLq27_Cjqf0
Motivating Activity:

Give a word that comes up into your mind upon seeing the picture

_________________________________________________________ (a word only)

Processing Activity:

1. What was you most unforgettable experience?

___________________________________________ (5-6 words only)
2. From your experiences, what is the most embarrassing one?
___________________________________________ (3-5 words only)
3. What instance you wouldn’t like to experience?
___________________________________________ (3-5 words only)

Input 1: Gabriel Marcel Phenomenology

Existentialism-a philosophical movement that stresses the

individual's unique position as a self-determining agent responsible
for making meaningful, authentic choices in a universe seen as
purposeless or irrational

Gabriel Marcel was a French existentialist who considers

two ways of reflection, which he calls primary and secondary
reflections. A reflective activity is a consequence of a disturbance
in the chain of our daily routine. It is what an existentialist calls
existential break that shakes us and forces us to pause and think
about what had happened
Primary Reflection- occurs when we inquire about things in a distant and objective
manner.
 This level of reflection will proceed with an investigation of the problem at hand
and it will not involve the subject making the inquiry.
 The inquirer sets himself apart from the object of his study.

Example:
You finished your last class at the end of the week and you are about to send a
text message to your friend to confirm your attendance for your end-of-the-week-
together. But as you reach for your phone in your pocket, your phone is not there. The
disturbance makes you stop from your routine and probe on the situation. You are
provoked to think about how this happened. You check your pocket for holes. And if
there are no holes, you retrace your steps. “Did I take out my phone in the classroom
during my last class?” “Was there someone playing a prank on me and hid my phone?”
“Did I even have my phone when I left home?” You raise questions that can lead you
explain what had just happened and eventually look for a possible solution to this
problem.

Secondary Reflection- cannot occur without involving the inquirer into his inquiry.
 Inevitably links the inquirer to the subject of his inquiry
 Is an example of inquiry wherein you cannot detach yourself from the question.
 The one raising the inquiry is intricately involved with the question.
 The inquirer is forced to face himself.

Example:
You are waiting for your friend – Friend A, whom you are supposed to meet, say
at 9am. And it is almost 10am when Friend A arrived and very apologetic about being
late. You are so annoyed because this happen a number of times already. You are so
upset that you even reached a point of asking why you are still friends with this person
who does not respect your time. At that moment, you were resolved to stay away from
friend A. The following week, you are to meet another friend—Friend B, say at 9am.
Unfortunately, you did not foresee the traffic caused by a big rally. So, you arrived thirty
minutes late. You tried to explain about the heavy traffic but you noticed on the skeptical
(doubtful) looks on Friend B’s face. AS the day ends, you are forced to reflect on your
experience. You ask yourself if you were fair in judging Friend A, who was late number
of times. You were forced to reflect on your own actions and recalled the instances that
you were also late.

Gabriel Marcel’s Embodiment

“Who am I?”
  For Marcel to ask being human is to ask about myself. And who we are is
obviously linked to our body.
 Existential fact that I have my body and is different from a rock or any other
animate objects, from animals and even to other humans.
 However, not everything that we are is our body. Our experience tells us that we
have operations that go beyond the body.

Example: When you imagine being on the beach swimming happily as the
summer break approaches –your body is in your room but your consciousness is on the
beach.

 In addition, there are other things that point to our existence as more than just the
body, like experiencing emotions of fear, love, anger, jealousy, etc.

What does it mean to have a body?

 It implies ownership.
 I am responsible for the well-being of my body.

Take note:

That as an embodied being, therefore I cannot simply dismiss my body as part of my

inquiry concerning of who I am. And even if I include my body as part of my inquiry, I
cannot simply treat it as a mere body.

The embodied subject necessarily faces his own self, through his body, whenever he
inquires, about what human being means.

Required viewing;

1. Gabriel Marcel’s Existentialism- https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=VrPBTw1VP6s

Input 2: Martin Heidegger’s Being-in the World

 A German philosopher who calls human beings

“Dasein” a German word which literally means
“being there”.
 This tells us that our very being is to be there, to be in
the world—being-in-the-world.
 “To be in the world “means that our experiences are
always situated in the world.
What does it mean to be being-in-the world?

 Who I am can never be dislodged from my concrete situation which includes the
things and the people around me, my culture, my language, and everything that
is present in my situations.
 It means that we live in things, with other people, and within a particular
place and time.

Being –in-the-world means;

To be with the things- we are already encountering things as soon as we are born: the
materials and structures used during our delivery. As being in the world we are naturally
related to the things around us, which shape us the way we see the world and ultimately
contribute to the definition of who we are.

Example: For guitar player, his guitar is not just any other guitar but his guitar.

To be with the people—just like the case of the things, the moment we are born, we
are already connected to the people.

Example: To our parents, relatives, friends, etc.—these links are not simple
categories like we use to define relationships rather these links are real and
transformative.

We are situated in place and time—we are immersed in a particular culture, language,
and social structures. No one can detach himself from culture, language, and social
structures. We are born in a particular era that allows us to see the world within the lens
of that era.

Example: Being raised in the Philippine will inevitably shape the way you look at
the world. The climate, surroundings, environment—all of these things will influence us.

That is why we commonly say that our culture is better and the best from other
cultures.

Take note:

Heidegger’s concept of being-in-the-world informs us of the very nature of who

we are, that is, that we are shaped by everything around us. Who we are is not a
product of a distant reflection and theorizing. An embodied subject is someone who is
ultimately connected with the world and not some detached inquirer. Our experience
tells us that we are related to the world as participating subjects that deal with things
and people every day. And we like or not, this encounter with things and other people
every day contribute to who we are.

Required viewing;

1. Martin Hiedegger: Being and Time-https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=M_nNEN7JUiM

Lesson 3: Limitations and Transcendence

Lesson Objectives:

1. Define limitation and transcendence,

2. List down one’s positivity’s and negativities; and,
3. Value one’s unique identity.

Motivating Activity:

What comes into your mind upon seeing the images above?

_______________________________________________________(one word only)

Processing Activity:

1. What body part of yours do like the most?

__________________________________________________ (one word only)
2. Which part of your body you would like to change?
__________________________________________________ (one word only)
3. How do you handle criticism on your most hated part of your body?
__________________________________________________ (5-7 words only)

Input 1: Limitations

Question;
 “What makes you different/unique from others?”

 Facticity

• We already know that being-in-the-world means that the moment we are born we
are already related to people– OUR PARENTS. This is our first limitation.
• That we were born in a particular TIME & PLACE.
• Aside from that, there are a lot of things which are already in & with us;
• Gender & Social status
• Color & Genes
• Race & Etc.

For Jean Paul Sartre;

FACTICITY
• Refers to things in our lives that are already given
It also refers to;
• To all the details that surround us in the present as being-in-the-world in here
and now; & this will include;
• Environment, Language, Past decision, & past
Thus;
• If we look at every aspect of whom we are right here & now, we will realize that
our being-in-the-world imposes practically countless limitation on us. And this is
the reality of an embodied being: that we shall always have limitations by facticity
of our experience.

 Spatial-temporal being
 Space
 Time FINITUDE Finite quality or
state

Temporal: We were definitely

• Govern by the principle of;

• Past, Present, & Future

There are a lot of

Not yet! &

No longer

Body as intermediary

• Our body serves as an intermediary between us and the physical world.

 • It is because of body we experienced the world form particular bodily standpoint
—form lying standpoint along the shore of the beach, or from a sitting standpoint
beside the window of a plane, etc.
• It is because of your body you experienced the world as your world and not the
world of others.
• You cannot Daniel Padilla or other celebrities and at the same time they cannot
be you also.
• Your body then limits your experience of the world to your world.

Transcending Limitation

• Facticity- we cannot simply truly change our facticity, but what we can do is
change our attitude towards them.

• Spatial Temporal- perhaps what we need is a moment is a moment to stop and

reflect on our own attitude towards temporality. Thus, being reminded of our
spatial character invites us to value the people and things around us.

• Body as Intermediary- we need to realized that this then challenges us to be

more creative in our expressions.

- Challenge us to make more creative ways of conveying our messages to the one
we love by not restricting our means to words.

- challenge us to work on a good relationship with people whom we want to open

up for us.

- taught us to be responsible, to be patient, sensitive, understanding and lot of

other values.