Control No:

SLK 2 for INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY

OF THE HUMAN PERSON - GRADE 11
QUARTER 2 WEEK 7-8

I. PRELIMINARIES
Competencies Enumerate the objectives he/she really wants to achieve and to define the
projects he/she really wants to do in his/her life. (PPT11/12-IIh-8.1)
Nakapagtatala ng mga bagay na tunay na gusto niyang gawin
(Ano ang gusto niyang maging)
Reflect on the meaning of his/her own life. (PPT11/12-III-8.2)
Nakapagsusulat ng pagninilay tungkol sa kahulugan ng kanyang buhay sa
konteksto ng tao bilang tumutungo sa kamatayan.
(Saan hahantong ang lahat ng ito?)
Objectives 1. Explain the significance of death in the existence of the person;
2. Recognize the meaning of their own lives.
3. Enumerate the objectives they want to achieve and the projects they want to in life.
4. Explain where their lives will lead to; and
5. Reflect on the meaning of their own lives
Topic/
HUMAN PERSONS AS ORIENTED TOWARDS THEIR
Subject
IMPENDING DEATH
Matter
Textbook PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
Materials Blue Colored paper or any available colored paper, bond paper, ballpen and paper
Copyrights Deped Talisay
Total Points 100
Date

II. CONTENT MAP

DEATH

https://k8schoollessons.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/human-life-cycle.jpg

III. CONTENT NOTES

Have you ever wondered about nothing seems to last forever? Objects get worn out
until they can’t be used anymore, food and drinks expire, and trends become outdated after
some time. Even more, what about the cycle of being born, growing up, getting sick, and
dying? These point to one very important reality about our human condition: we are
temporal beings or “beings oriented towards death.”

1
 Have you ever thought what it means to die? What it means to die because of
pandemic? Surely the idea makes you a bit uncomfortable. You may feel that thinking
about death at this time in your life is a bit inappropriate or unnecessary since you are still
young and you have your whole life ahead of you. We do not really think about the reality
of our own death because it is difficult to imagine when and how we will die. In fact,
scientist and philosophers still have many unanswered questions about death. However, we
cannot deny the fact that death exists in our world. We may seen our beloved pets die;
experience the death of a family member, relative or an acquaintance; and have heard of
news death cause by covid-19 death in television and other media.

The very thought of death and the mystery surrounding it certainly cause a lot of
grief and anxiety to a person, but it is an essential element in the human condition which
definitely deserves attention. Only in reflecting on the reality of death can we begin to
explore and understand the meaning of our own existence.

Why do you think some people have such a negative view regarding death?

How does the reality of death define our lives?

Death is commonly understood as the end of bodily functions which signals the end
of person’s life. It also refers to the separation of the body and the spirit. As mentioned
earlier, the human person is an embodied spirit. The body, being material, is bound by the
laws of time and space and is subject to growth, death, and decay. The spirit, being
immaterial, will continue to exist even after the body has passed.

It is true that a person’s spiritual nature allows him or her to transcend his or her
temporality and physical limits. However , we also cannot deny the material nature of the
person, that he or she is still bound by the same laws of nature and reality that apply to all
objects in existence. Everything that came from being in this universe will eventually come
to an end. We are born into human life, we grow and age, and we eventually die. This
paradox defines the uniqueness of human existence.

It can be said that we are also beings who are moving towards our impending death.
This makes a person’s life limited in time. The focus on this limit has led to several
attitudes towards death. There are people who deny the idea of human decline and death.
Some people rely on anti-aging treatments and products to make them look, feel and think
that they are younger than they really are. Others focus on experiencing intense moments
and feelings in order to feel alive because no one really knows when life will end. This has
given rise to various expressions such as #YOLO (YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE) and eat,
drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. Additionally, people also put great importance to
speed and efficiency - we are concerned about doing more things in a shorter span of time
so we can do more in a lifetime. We find means and ways to travel faster and do things
more efficiently by spending less time and energy because we wish to experience more of
the world.

These attitudes are not necessarily bad but they may prevent us from reflecting on
the reality of death. We must embrace the fact that death is an integral part of our life.
Once we have come to terms with that, we can focus not just on the quantifiable aspects of
life (e.g., years lived, material things owned) but also on its quality. Ultimately, the

2
acceptance of our temporality can bring about a sense of freedom in us. It can also give us
a clearer purpose and focus on our activities. Since we cannot do everything in our
lifetime, we must able to reflect on what we need to do and identify the goals we need to
achieve so we can say that we have lived a meaningful existence.

How should I live my life before it finally ends?

Understanding the person as a being-towards-death brings us back to a very important

topic: freedom. It has been discussed previously that the essence of freedom is self-
determination - the capacity to choose and act for oneself. While there is no freedom in
the inevitability in death, a person can still exercise freedom in choosing how to face the
reality of death in their lives. For example, a person cannot stop himself from growing old.
However, he or she can choose to embrace aging gracefully. You may have seen older
people who take pride in their gray hairs, wrinkles, and the fact that they have
grandchildren. Other people, however, take a different path and use any means to mask
their physical aging such as getting cosmetic surgery or availing of “age-defying”
treatments.

As biological beings bound by natural laws and the inevitability of death, we cannot
stop aging and the eventual decline of our bodies. However, we can definitely choose to
spend our lives doing good and reasonable things or even go against what is good. The
person, therefore, is the author and protagonist who determines the development and
conclusion of his or her life story.

The temporal existence of a person means that his or her life is temporary; he or she is
not a being who exists permanently and for eternity. Accepting the fact that we have a
limited time in this world allows us to determine the course of our life-to paint a picture of
how our life will progress and how we envision it to end. While most people would prefer
to not have any sort of limit,it makes perfect sense to appreciate the beauty of something as
it is framed within certain lines. The key idea is that we all have a vocation to live life in
the best possible way that we can - by being excellent persons. It would be nearly
impossible to measure this, but look at how having a finish line makes us appreciate the
efforts of runners even more than if there was none in the first place. Ordinarily, we
celebrate the fastest runner, but we can also appreciate the runner who improved the most
given the same set of conditions.

Temporality challenges us to make choices that will be good for us and the people
around us. It must also be noted that since we have a body, we are always in the moment -
we exist in the here and now. The person is always in the present. Although his spiritual
nature allows him to transcend the present. Whenever we make a choice, we cannot undo
that choice because that present moment has now gone into the past. On the other hand, the
choices we make in the present are not always confined to the here and now as they also
have an impact on the future. Past, present and future are not exclusive and isolated
moments in time, but they are experienced together by the person because of the dynamism
provided by being an embodied spirit.

Given all these considerations, we may ask: what is the end of this life? The term end
can be understood in two ways. Some philosophers view end as a terminus which means
the full stop or end of a line. For them, life endsand nothing follows.Others, however,
consider end as telos which means “goal, purpose or fulfillment.”Although we are oriented

3
towards our death, death is not the goal in life. The human person is not born into this
world just so he or she could die. Man is put on this earth to live a meaningful life, to be
virtuous and achieve excellence. With this in mind, we can look at two experiences which
make us reflect on the meaning of life: happiness and suffering.

What makes you happy?

What brings you happiness? Is it the food you eat? The clothes you wear? The gadgets
you own? The achievements you reap as a student? The moments you spend with your
family and friends?

Ancient Greek philosophy considers happiness as an achievement and it must be gained

by living a productive and moral life. Religious philosophers consider happiness “whole-
life satisfaction,” based on our evaluation of our overall life experiences. Ethics plays a
significant role in defining the means to achieve to happiness. Various philosophical views
emphasize the importance of setting worthwhile goals in life to achieve personal happiness.
Happiness also has a social element, as we should not only be concerned about our own
happiness, but also the well-being of others.

How do I define true happiness?

As we understand ourselves better, we also come to realize the happiness is a state of

being an not merely an emotional experience or a chosen mental attitude. We do not really
choose happiness because we all have a tendency towards it, but that we choose the means
to achieve it. What makes a person happy is that which fits his nature-we are made truly
happy by things that are true and good. On the other hand, what is false and evil does not
make a person happy.

As an embodied spirit, we must also consider the goods or sources of happiness which
are proper to a person. A noble good is one which is pursued for its own sake; it is good in
itself. Love and friendship are some examples. A useful good is considered good so long
as it serves as a means to an end; its goodness is found only from what it can provide. For
example, money is good as it can buy you something. Finally, a pleasurable good is good
so long as it provides some form of pleasure, though it does not have to be physical. It must
be understood that a specific good cannot be categorized strictly under one kind. For
example, friendship may be a noble good because it is good to be a friend to someone.
However, pursuing it with incorrect intentions (e.g. befriending someone for academic or
career advancement) makes it only a useful good.

The kind of happiness that canbe gained from a good is also closely tied to its nature.
For example, material things may satisfy bodily needs and can somehow make a person
happy, but they cannot provide permanent happiness because what is material will fade
over time. On the other hand, friendship is a noble good and definitely provides a more
permanent kind of happiness. Happiness from a material thing diminishes as you as you
own it, while happiness gained from friendship only grows as it progresses. This brings us
to a very important lesson in life: real happiness can be found in more permanent and
meaningful things.

4
Why do we suffer?

When was the last time you experienced suffering? What was the reason behind it?
How did ou overcome it?

Suffering takes place when we patiently endure unpleasantness, discomfort and pain. It
can come in the form of physical suffering, when we experience physical sensations such
as discomfort, hunger, distress and pain. These are often caused by injury, disease and the
lack of basic needs. It can also be in the form of mental suffering, which involves
emotional and mental states such as depression, anxiety, fear, loneliness and grief.These
maybe caused by unexpected situations in life such as sudden changes in lifestyle, loss of
employment, stressful situations, and grief caused by the death of a loved one. The tension
between what a person is and what he wants to be may also be an experience of suffering.

What causes suffering?

We normally experience difficulties in life, and how we deal with them is often
determined by our mindset regarding suffering. Generally, suffering is viewed as an
undesirable condition and that we naturally seek pleasure and avoid pain. Those who adopt
this perspective often focus on the various means to avoid pain. Those who adopt this
perspective often focus on the various means to avoid suffering or eliminate entirely from
life. Another view considers suffering as necessary because it helps existence.Without it,
we are unable to grow and improve, and our positive experiences lose meaning and
significance.

Negative experiences are part of our lives. We cannot shelter ourselves from suffering,
but we can be prepared to deal with it so it does not break us. Philosophy help us
understand how suffering defines the state or condition of the person before, during and
after the experience. It is important to remember that difficulties are not without reason.
They can bring about good things even if we do not fully understand our circumstances at
present. More often, our hardships bring about realizations and opportunities for us. Even if
the outcome of a difficulty is unfavorable, dealing with suffering can improve our attitude
towards life and other people.

How do happiness, suffering and death give meaning to your life?

As we approach our death, we experience both happiness and suffering. Although these
are distinct experiences, the two are not really meant to be complete opposites, for there
may be instances when they enrich one another. The pursuit of happiness requires that we
go through the effort to achieve it. Our efforts often marked by difficulties and
discouragement.

For example, a person who wishes to pass his or her exams must spend time to study
and exert effort to perform well in his or her academic tasks. Athletes who wish to become
the best in their sports often experience hardships in training, injuries and several setbacks
before they are able to gain victory. Look back at an achievement in your life which you
consider your most significant triumph. Certainly, that victory was coupled with trials and
difficulties, but that victory was made more significant and “sweeter” by the fact that you
were able to surmount the challenges you faced.

5
 If we are willing to suffer through adversities and maybe even suffer cheerfully, it
makes the pursuit of happiness even more worthwhile. As a result, we not only attain the
happiness that we want, but we also become better persons in the process. The reality of
death means that our existence is unique and that we will not always get another chance to
do the things we want in this life. Therefore, we should not easily give up in the pursuit of
good things. Reflecting on the reality of death enables us to think of how we can best live a
meaningful life. We can strive to leave behind a legacy either in the form of an inheritance,
a reputation, or a significant achievement.

We have tendency to form bonds with others. This is in our nature as human persons.
This also means that we also find meaning in life when we open ourselves to others.
Therefore, we had an opportunity not only to enrich our lives but also to touch the lives of
others. A person lives a truly meaningful life when he or she lives in unity and harmony
with others. Although we are different from each other, we are all made to love and serve
one another. People are able to become truly great when they live for people other than
themselves. When we have genuine relationships with others, we not only share in each
other’s happiness but we also brings happiness to others. We also share in each other’s
suffering and help each other in difficult times, We eventually become part of someone’s
else’s life, and we are able to live on in them in the same way that those whom we hold
dear live in our lives. When a person passes away, he or she continues to live on because a
part of that person is now with us.

Because of our freedom, how we choose to live our lives is entirely up to us. Against
the backup of death, we are now called to use our freedom in the best way possible to bring
us closer to our happiness and bring happiness to others as well. Our lives are works in
progress, stories in the process of being written, and songs that are about to be sung. Life is
a gift given to each person and it is important to turn this life into a gift for others as well.

What is next after you have lived your life?

IV. ACTIVITIES

Activity 1 Competency: Enumerate the objectives he/she really wants to achieve and to
define the projects he/she really wants to do in his/her life. (PPT11/12-IIh-8.1)

Directions: Get your blue colored paper and bond paper. Cut it into strips. (1 inch wide and 9
inches long). Write your happy experiences on blue colored paper and your sad ones on bond
paper. Then weave the strips like a mat. HPS: 30/30

6
As you look at your work of art, think of how events in your life - both happy and sad- molded
you into who you are now. Did they help you become a better person? Did they encourage
you to live a meaningful life?
(Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.) Copy the question and answer.

Now, remove one of the colored strips. Do your remaining strips still make a beautiful mat?
What does this say about the meaning of life?

Rating Guide : (Rubrics)

30 points 20 points 10 points

The work of art shows the The work of art shows the The work of art does not
events of life both happy events of life both happy show the events of life both
and sad. It is well explained and sad. It has few spelling happy and sad. It has many
and has good grammar.The or grammatical error.The misspelled words and the
work follows the instruction work follows the instruction grammar is bad.The work
and it is readable. and it is readable. The contains less the 3
handwriting is quite difficult sentences.
to read.

Activity 2 Competency: Enumerate the objectives he/she really wants to achieve and to
define the projects he/she really wants to do in his/her life. (PPT11/12-IIh-8.1)

Title: My Idea of a Meaningful Life

Directions: Draw a symbol of your idea of a meaningful life HPS: 30/30

Draw it in a 1 whole sheet of bondpaper with proper margin.

Rating Guide:
Creativity - 10 points
Originality - 7 points
Quality - 7 points
Color/tones - 6 points
Total 30 points

Activity 3 Competency: Reflect on the meaning of his/her own life. (PPT11/12-III-8.2)

Title: My Mood Board

Directions: Make a personal plan to implement changes in your life on activities that will
make your life more meaningful. Make a mood board that reflects your plan.
(Use Illustration Board 20” x 30”/used Plywood/Thick carton).
HPS: 30/30

7
Rating Guide:
Creativity - 10 points
Originality - 7 points
Quality - 7 points
Color/tones - 6 points
Total 30 points

V. EVALUATION:
Directions: Multiple choice. Write the correct answers on a separate sheet of paper.
HPS: 10/10
1. What do you mean by separation of the body and soul?
A. Birth B. Determination C. Death D. Reincarnation
2. A good is a source of happiness. How do you call a good which is pursued for its own
sake, it is a good in itself?
A. A noble good B. A pleasurable good C. A useful good D. A pleasant, good
3. It is considered good so long as it serves as a means to an end, its goodness is found only
from what it can provide.
A. A noble good C. A useful good
B. A pleasurable good D. A pleasant good
4. This is a good so long as it provides some form of pleasure, though it doesn’t have to be
physical.
A. A noble good C. A useful good
B. A pleasurable good D. A pleasant good
5. What is a state of being, not just an emotional experience or a chosen mental attitude?
A. Behavioral C. Happiness
B. Emotional D. Happy
6. What do you call an experience physical sensations such as, discomfort, hunger, distress
and pain
A. Happiness C. Suffering
B. Physical suffering D. Mental suffering
7. These involves emotional states such as depression, anxiety, fear, loneliness and grief?
A. Happiness C. Suffering
B. Physical suffering D. Mental Suffering
8. It has been discussed previously that the essence of freedom is?
A. Self destined C. Selfish
B. Self-determination D. Self guided
9. It means that his or her life is temporary, he or she is not a being who exists permanently
and for eternity?
A. Permanent C. Temporary
B. Permanent Existence D. Temporal Existence
10. It plays a significant role in defining the means to achieve happiness?
A. Birth C. Death
B. Sin D. Ethics
11. According to the Department of Health (2008),what percentage of people now dies in
acute hospital settings?
A. 80% C. 34%
B. 90% D. 58%

8
12. Which of the following points contradict the principle of hospice care?
A. Focus on the quality of life C. Pain control is important
B. Treat the disease not the patient D. Care remains as natural as possible
13. What term is applied to the loss of a loved one though death.
A. Bereavement C. Grief
B. Mourning D. Separation
14. What term is applied to the emotional response associated with loss.
A. Bereavement C. Grief
B. Mourning D. Separation
15. Through which process is the observable expression of grief and learning to cope with the
loss accomplished.
A. Bereavement C. Grief
B. Mourning D. Separation

VI. ADDITIONAL READINGS

Contrary to the common error that death touches only the body and not the soul, the whole
person dies. Though the soul continues to exist after its separation from the body, this does
not imply that it was not affected by death. On the contrary, the soul though transcending the
body, is also the form of the body which it animates. Hence, its attachment to the body makes
death seem such a threat to it. Death thus highlight the enigma of our human existence. For
we instinctively rebel against the possibility of our complete disappearance and extinction as
persons, because we bear within ourselves the “seed of eternity which cannot be reduced to
mere matter “ (GS 18).

In one sense death is the natural end of human life: there is “a time to be born, and a time to
die” (Eccl 3:2). Our lives are measured by time and pass through a natural cycle of birth,
growth and final decline. “Seventy is the sum of our years, or eighty if we are strong, and
most of them are fruitless toil, for they pass quickly and we drift away” (Ps 90:10).

“In the end three things last: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love” (cf.1 Cor
13:13).

1. The first question “what can we know?”

2. The second question : “what should we do?”
3. How does this final goal relate to our daily life and worship?

VII. ANSWER KEY

Activity 1
The answers are open, and considered correct as long as the student follow instruction happy
experiences on the blue colored paper and sad on white paper.

Activity 2
The answers are also open, and considered correct as long as the student draw their meaning
of life.

Activity 3
The answers are open, and considered correct as long as the student follow instruction “made
a mood board”.