LESSON 3: The Human Person as an Embodied Spirit TRAITS THAT DEFINE A PERSON

 MAN 1. SELF AWARENESS

- General term commonly used to refer to  Refers to the person having a clear
the entire human race. perception of oneself, including her or her
- Related terms include: Humanity, thoughts, emotions, identity, and actions.
mankind, and humankind.  Perception and reaction to the environment.
 HUMAN 2. RATIONALITY
-Refers to man as a species.  Human thought
HOMOSAPIENS  Deeper awareness
-Modern human beings
 HUMAN BEING A person is aware of both his or her
-Used to distinguish man from other animals. surroundings and himself or herself.
- Nature of humans as animals. This awareness gives rise to the notion of the
 PERSON “self”.
 A much more complex term generally refers
to a human being granted recognition of  “SELF”
certain rights, protections, responsibilities,  Described as the person who is actively
and dignity. aware that he or she is perceiving.
 HUMAN PERSON  Enables us to reach out and interact with
 The totality of an individual, possessing things outside of ourselves.
awareness, self-determination, and the  INNER WORLD
capacity to interact with others and with  Defined by our thoughts and ideas.
himself or herself.  Having an inner world allows a person to
 PERSONHOOD create goals, dreams, and plans that may be
 Refers to the state of being a person. realized through activity.
 HUMAN NATURE  INTERIORITY
 Refers to the characteristics that distinguish  The quality of being focused on one’s inner
humans from other creatures. life and identity.
 These traits arise independent of the  Enables persons to exercise creativity.
influence of nature and society.  Allows us to daydream, imagine, fantasize
 Examples: thinking, feeling, and acting. and reflect.
 These traits are considered to form the 3. SELF- DETERMINATION
essence of humanity, and without them, an  The quality of persons to make choices and
individual may not be considered a human decisions based on their own preferences,
person. monitor and regulate their actions, and be
goal-oriented and self-directed.
WHAT IS THE HUMAN PERSON?  FREE WILL
Philosophers believe that the human  The capacity to choose a course of action
being is not just a mere animal. There is from various alternatives.
something in the human individual that sets him  Enables us to do actions whenever we want
or her apart from other beings. These special to and make self-determination possible.
traits make a human a distinct individual person.  Enables a person to act willfully, control his
or her actions, and recognize himself or
We possess traits and capabilities that herself as the source of action.
are not found in other organisms.
  CONSEQUENCE  THE HUMAN PERSON IS AN EMBODIED
 The result or effect of an action or condition. SPIRIT.
 MORALITY - Not only are the body and spirit
 The goodness or badness of an act. united, but they are integrated
with each other.
Human action is an important aspect of the
- We cannot separate the two and
person. Philosophers consider human action to reveal a
they go hand in hand in making
person’s true nature.
us who we are.
4. EXTERNALITY - Whatever affects the body, affects
 The capability to reach out and interact with the spirit.
others and the world.  EMBODIMENT
- Enables us to do and experience
Philosophers consider man a social being, and
all things that make us human
that a person never exists in isolation.
person.
Our interaction with others defines our - Is the one thing that enables us to
existence as a person. feel love and love others.
 EXPERIENCE
5. DIGNITY
- A product of embodiment
 The innate right to be valued and respected.
 Human embodiment allows a person to attach
Each person is worth the same as another certain feelings or ideas not only to people but
person in the sense that every person is also to objects.
priceless, unique, unrepeatable, and  With human embodiment, physical acts are no
irreplaceable. longer purely physical acts, because the body
conveys something from a person’s inner world.
WHAT IS IN OUR HUMAN NATURE THAT  Through embodiment, a person is able to have a
ENABLES US TO BECOME PERSON? very unique relationship with the world. This
Philosophers tried to identify the unique relationship defines us a humans.
substantial elements that give rise to the HOW DOES HUMAN NATURE ENABLE ME TO
characteristics that enable us to become EXPLORE MY LIMITS?
persons.
The human person enjoys a number of
 BODY advantages compared to other beings. But there are
- A person is truly defined by his or her still a number of things that humans naturally
body and what he or she experiences cannot do.
through the senses.
 SPIRIT  A person is a very biologically deficient
- The unseen aspects of the human person being.
which, along with the body define us as a - This means that we are not
person. equipped with the best physical
- Intangible element that enables us to attributes among all the beings in
exercise thought, possess awareness, the world.
interiority, and the capacity to reach out  TRANSCENDENCE
to the outside world and other persons. - Ability to surpass limits.
- Overcoming oneself or being in
HOW ARE THE BODY AND THE SPIRIT RELATED? control even if the body reminds
The human person is defined by the us of certain tendencies.
union of the body and the spirit.
 - One important trait that
distinguishes the human person
from other beings existence.

 Our mind is an important tool that allows us

to go beyond many of our physical limits.
- We are able to exercise our
imagination and reflection to go
beyond our own thoughts and
limits.
Being physically limited in our abilities does not
prevent us from hoping for or aspiring to greater
things.
- Limits, however, can be overcome
with enough effort and
perseverance.
- To experience TRANSENDENCE,
we must identify and face our
own personal limits.
ESSENCE OF TRANSCENDENCE

 To acknowledge our limitations.

 Identify possibilities for development
 Change ourselves for the better.
 Another aspect of transcendence is opening
yourself to new experiences and ideas.
 Our capacity for transcendence gives us the
opportunity to work toward becoming
better version of ourselves.
