GRACE MISSION COLLEGE

Catiningan, Socorro, Oriental Mindoro

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

-Proverbs 1:7

Module 2 in NSTP – CWTS 1

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this chapter, the learners are expected to:

1. describe the nature of the human person:

2. identify the importance of a person's ability and capacity; and

3. describe a person's unique qualities that make him/her a productive social being.

OVERVIEW

This chapter discusses the nature of the human person. It answers these questions: What is a human person?
How can a human person attain his/ her highest potential and contribute to the common good?

Even during the ancient times, these questions have been relentlessly asked and evaluated. Psychologists,
philosophers, theologians, and scientists have written in-depth analyses of the human nature using a wide range of
theories and observations.

THE HUMAN PERSON

It is essentially difficult to understand the human person, human nature, and the possibility of achieving a
productive society through the highest potential of a person.

Estañol (2007) defines the human person as having physical, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual attributes. St.
Thomas Aquinas describes the human person as having physical and spiritual substance because he/she has a soul and
is created by a Superior being with a divine purpose. Dictionaries define the human person as a self-conscious animal.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A HUMAN PERSON

Babor (2007) in his book, The Human Person: Not Real, But Existing, discusses the several characteristics of a
human person, namely:

1. Rational - Every person is a rational being. This is what distinguishes a person from all other creatures in
the world. As a rational being, a person is free to think and has the capacity to reason. He can distinguish
what is right and what is wrong because he has intellect.
2. Free - All human beings are born free. A person has the freedom to do or not to do a specific action.
However, every person must be responsible for his own action. In other words, a person can do whatever
he pleases but not to the extent of doing harm to his co-creatures.
3. Unique - Every person is unique. Every person has his own identity such that no two persons are the same.
Generally speaking, human beings have the same characteristics and physical features and but no two
 persons are the same because every person has its own perception, has different sets of values and priorities
in life.
4. Social being - Every person is intrinsically a social being. He cannot detach his “being” from others and all
other creatures in the universe. Human nature is characterized by his togetherness and relationship towards
other creatures; be it a thing, object or his fellowman.
5. Sexual - All created living things are sexual in nature but the uniqueness of expression of a person’s
sexuality makes it all different. The expression of a person’s emotions, attitudes, feelings, actions and
thoughts in sexual activity best exemplifies his uniqueness from animals.

BIBLICAL VIEWS

The human person has superiority and dignity inherited from the Supreme Being to the book of Genesis, chapter
1, verses 26 to 27, God created man and woman in His own Image and likeness and made them masters of the fish of
the sea, the birds, the heaven, the earth, the wild beasts, and all the fish of the sea, the earth, the wild beasts, and all the
reptiles that crawl upon the earth.

The Supreme Being entrusted to the human person the care of creatures on the earth, aware of the possibilities,
challenges, and difficulties he/she will encounter in his/her life.

Agbuya (1999) states that "He/She (human person) is designated by God to exercise dominion over other
creatures in his/her everyday use of freedom, search for happiness, and openness to the world around him/her. And what
makes him/her human is his/her being a true person, which includes the special gifts and talents of thinking, loving,
longing for happiness, and making decision. The human nature was patterned after the image of God."

PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWS

According to Protagoras, a human person is the measure of all things that exist and of all things that do not
exist. Furthermore, Plato claimed that the perfect human being does not exist in this world because what is in this world
is just an imperfect copy of humanity's original self in the realm of ideas. Parmenides posited that a person has
knowledge of something that exists, for a person who does not exist is nothing

A human person like other animals has external and internal organs. A human being becomes evident when
he/she starts to share his/her thoughts and ideas with others.

Maguigad (2006) in his book, Philosophy of the Human Being, explains the different philosophical views of
the human person. These are the following:

1. Conservatism

The conservative view is not entirely positive and definitely non-egalitarian. Some men contribute more than
others to society, and, therefore, must be rewarded and honored by society. All human persons may not be of equal
value to society: some men are intended to rule, the rest to obey. This is in line with one of the Confucian ethical ideas
which states that the superior man must rule and the commoner must bow before his authority.

2. Liberalism

Liberalism has a more egalitarian view of human nature. It believes that all men are capable of reason and
rational action and have the capacity to live satisfactory and productive lives if given the opportunity. Reason is common
to all human beings and this fact raises them above the level of beasts and enables them to know the principles of suitable
living. According to Mencius, every human being can become a sage king, that is, anyone can gain the wisdom to rule.

3. Socialism

In socialism, the human being readily engages in cooperative social activities when given the opportunity.
Unfortunately, this natural cooperative instinct is not fostered when some people selfishly exploit other people.
 Marx believes that man is driven primarily by desire for economic gains. In his Das Kapital, he considers the
human person as a social animal; if he/she fails to relate actively with others and with nature, he/she loses himself/herself
and becomes alienated. His/Her drives lose human qualities and assume animal qualities.

4. Fascism

Fascism holds that what matters most is the country itself. The human being can prosper only when the nation
prospers; his/her fate is merely secondary when it comes to the country. Like the conservatives, the fascists contend that
some human beings are naturally and racially better than others.

CLASSICAL GREEK VIEWS

The early classical Greeks define the human person as "a rational animal. An animal's vegetative sensory and
rational element is integrated within his/her being: thus he/she is a material (body) and spiritual (soul) being. As a
vegetative creature, the human person needs to have food to grow, develop, and reproduce. As a sentient being, he/she
needs sensory perceptions to gain knowledge. As a rational animal, he/she needs the power of thought, reason, and
cognition.

Due to a person's nobility and his/her special place in God's kingdom, it is through him/her that the rest of
creation enter into a dialogue and relationship with the Supreme Being. Because the human person is given free will to
choose, decide, or shape his/her life, he/she is always responsible for his/her action.

A human person is capable of knowing, loving, and believing, which leads him/her to be fully aware of his/her
humanity.

SOCIOLOGICAL VIEWS

A perspective is a particular way of looking at and seeing something. Salcedo (2004) states that people look at
this social world or at the various way's that human beings behave in a social way. Hence, when we talk about society
or the social world, we are really referring to the behavior or human beings.

This is not to say that all sociologists necessarily see the social world from exactly the same perspective (or
viewpoint); neither do they always agree about what they how behavior could or should be understood, and so forth. As
we will notice sociological perspective is made up of a number of quite different sub-perspectives.

San Juan (2007) proposes some common ideas about the human person. 1hese at the following:

1. Human persons are social animals. We need to cooperate with others in so way to create the social world in
which to live.

2. The human person's social behavior is learned, not instinctive. In this respect, the argument is that we have to
learn, from the moment we were born, how to be not Just a human being but also a recognizable member of the
society into which we happen to have been born.

3. To understand the human person's social behavior, we have to focus our attention on the groups to which people
belong. These groups are many and varied, but the largest group to which people belong is a society.

4. Sociology is a discipline that looks into the totality of relationships in an individual 's life. Sociologists do not
restrict their studies to a single dimension of an individual's life (economics, politics, history, geography,
psychology, and so forth). Although each of these areas is significant and interesting in varying degrees, it is
only by looking at how these relationships affect each other that we can arrive at a complete picture of human
social behavior.

Sociologists do not reject the contributions of other social sciences. Sociology as an academic discipline itself
is based on the recognition that human beings are not one-dimensional but rather multi-dimensional.
 For example, in our society. people work (economic dimension), have the opportunity to vote ln elections
(political dimension), and live in different areas of the country (geographic dimension). What interests sociologists in
this regard might be the relationship between these three dimensions-now does the area in which people live affect the
type of work they do and now does the type or work they do affect how they vote in elections?

If the sociological perspective differs from that provided by other social sciences, it is evident that it also differs
from a final perspective. We have to consider, namely, that of naturalistic or commonsensical explanation or the social
world. Investigating some examples of commonsensical 1deas about the social world will allow us to demonstrate more
effectively the idea or a soco0BPepeve and show how sociology provides a greater understanding of human behavior.

HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

The guiding principle in realizing a person s competence and ability is the exploration of his/her totality in the
field of humanistic psychology, which theorizes that a person's behavior and his/her relationship with others are shaped
by his/her inner feelings and self-image.

Maslow presented the levels of hierarchy of needs in his theory of personality.

1. Physiological needs include the biological and basic needs such as water and clothing. These needs are
immensely important because they are essential for survival.

2. Safety needs include security and protection from physical and emotional

3. Social needs include affection, sense of belonging, and friendship, which people seek to overcome feelings of
loneliness and alienation.

4. Self-esteem needs include achievement, mastery, and confidence derived from recognition, respect, and
attention. When these needs are satisfied, the person feels confident and valuable. However, when they are not
met, the person may feel inferior, weak, helpless, and worthless.

5. Self-actualization means a person has reached the peak of his/her potential.

SELF-
ACTUALIZATION

SELF-ESTEEM
Achievement • Mastery •
Recognition • Respect

LOVE/BELONGING
Friends • Family • Spouse • Lover

SAFETY
Security • Stability • Freedom from Fear

PHYSIOLOGY
Food • Water • Shelter • Warmth

Maslows theory points out that a person needs to satisfy first the lower needs before realizing his/her self-worth
and potential. Accordingly, when the lower needs are not net, a person cannot completely devote his/ her time to
developing his/her full potential. He also maintains that self-actualization is the driving force of human personality.
Thus, a person cannot appreciate intellectual and aesthetic learning when he/she is hungry or if he/she feels unsafe.
Artistic and scientific endeavors do not flourish in a society where people must struggle for food, shelter, and safety.
Self-actualization can only be achieved after all other needs are satisfied.
 According to Rogers' person-centered therapy theory, every person has within him/her an inherent desire for a
positive transformation and thee development or capacities. He/she possesses an innate goodness no matter how
imprudent his/ her actions are. Based on this theory, the society should be a sounding board of reflections in life, so that
an individual can realize his/her problem and formulate solutions for it. However, it is the individual who will eventually
create his/her own path and not the people around him/her. He/She is the only one qualified to choose the path that
he/she should take. It may not always be smooth, but that does not diminish his/her value as a person. A self-actualized
person allows his/her innate goodness to transform further. Only by understanding himself/herself first can he/she
effectively relate to others. Furthermore, every person must understand that he/she only exists 1n this world transitorily.
As such he/she should utilize his/ her gifts and talents to reach his/her goals and to help others realize their own worth
as a person. He/She must take on the challenge that the Supreme Being has posed upon him/her.

CONCLUSION

It is basically difficult to understand the human person. He/she is described as having physical, spiritual,
emotional, and intellectual attributes, capable of knowing, loving, and believing. Various Biblical, philosophical,
classical, and sociological views and perspectives offer essential insights into the human nature. Nevertheless, it boils
down to the human person s relational character toward others called service to his/her fellowmen.

A person is a social being with various needs that have to be satisfied. This will enable him/her to reach the
peak of his/her potential, so that he/she could effectively relate with others and be a productive part of his community.

ACTIVITY

Direction: Answer the following questions:

1. In one paragraph, define human person?

 Villasotto, Herminigildo S., et. al. 2018. Human Person Gearing Towards Social Development: NSTP-CWTS 1
Worktext for College Students, Second Edition. Quezon City: C&E Publishing, Inc