The person is by nature a social being because he or she has a tendacy to go out himself or herself to

form bonds and relationships to others.

Freedom gives us the opportunity to persue various activities to achieve our goals and attain well-
being or happiness.

Society, wich is an organized group of people whose member interact frequently and have a
common territory and culter. Society also refers to a companionship or friendly association with
others, an alliance, a community, or a union.

THE SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY

The most prominent social theorists who tackled the origins of human society:

1. Thomas Hobbes- persons in their natural states are governed by their desires and these
often leads to conflict with their fellowman.

2. John Locke- locke considered persons with their natural states as more cooperative and
reasonable, and that society is formed through the consent of the individual that organized
it.

3. Jean Jacques Rousseau- Rousseau believed that even if the people are the ones who
organized society and establish an authority or government, in extreme cases, the
government is able to impose its will on the people.

To fully understand the true character of society, they imagined humans as living in a so-
called "natural state," removed from modernity and civilization.

(Thomas Hobbes) “Social Contract”- an agreement where individuals sacrifice an amount of their
freedom and submit to a higher authority.

(John Locke) “Consent of Governed”- Society is formed through the consent of the individuals that
organized it.

(Jean Jacques Rousseau) “General will”- Rousseau believed that even if the people are the ones who
organized society and establish an authority or government, in extreme cases, the government is
able to impose its will on the people.

(John Rawls) “Original Position”- redefined the social contract and explained that human beings
approach social cooperation in a rational manner in order to meet their individual self-interests.
Rawls introduced a version of the natural state which he called the original position to explain social
formation. He imagined humans as having a "veil of ignorance, or no knowledge of one's own
characteristics such as gender, race, or social status.

(David Gauthier) “Self-interest”- described people's self-interest as a significant factor in building

and maintaining societies. People choose to cooperate since it is beneficial to meet their self-
interests. But this selfish interest benefits society as a whole, since the actions of individuals in
meeting their individual needs also further the interests of the other members of society.

Common good- refers to the social conditions which enable persons and groups to fulfill their goals
and achieve well-being.
DIFFERENT FORMS OF SOCIETY

1. Hunting and gathering society- the earliest and simplest form of society. small size and is
composed mainly of families. They are nomadic because they spend most of their time
searching for food and thus, have no permanent territory. members are generally treated
equally and decisions are usually arrived at through a consensus. the division of labor is not
very clearly defined.
2. Pastoral society - the domestication of animals for food for a more stable and predictable
food supply. have larger populations than hunting and gathering societies and remain longer
in one place. often produce surplus food and resources, which they trade with other
societies.
3. Horticultural society- primarily engages in the small- scale cultivation of plants, fruits, and
vegetables and the domestication of animals. Horticultural societies are semi-nomadic,
which means that they travel to another place when they have already depleted the
resources in one area. tasks assigned according to gender. there is also a surplus of goods,
which sometimes leads to inequalities among its members.
4. Agrarian or Agricultural society- marked by the large-scale and long- term cultivation of
crops and domestication of animals. characterized by improved technology and the use of
tools to aid in farming. Improved technology and farming methods result in increased
production, giving rise to a growing population.
5. Feudal society – based on the ownership of land. People who belong to the "higher classes"
are treated with respect by the members of the community.
6. Industrial society – based on the use of specialized machinery in the production of goods
and services. Work is done in factories and public education is more prevalent. characterized
by cultural diversity and the presence of bureaucratic forms of organization.
7. Post-Industrial society - the establishment of societies based on knowledge, information,
and the sale of services. Members of this society have higher educational attainment, better
training, and specialized roles. The virtual society, where people organize themselves
through communication technology and the Internet, is a product of a post-industrial society.

HOW DOES SOCIETY INFLUENCE OUR DEVELOPMENT AS A PERSON?

Norms- are set of traits and behavior that society considered acceptable, and thus encoureged and
passed on other members.

Laws- More formal and stringent norms that establish and define acceptable behavior of citizen.

Folkways- Less formal norms ariise from tradition and do not result in punishment when violated.

Social system- is an organized or patterned sets of ralationships among individuals and groups that
compose a society.

Social role- are actions and behaviors expected of a certain individual.

Individual who share similar backgrounds and perform similar roles are grouped together into social
group and social classes.

Certain groups that perform vital functions in society are recognized as social institution, and these
include the family, school, government, and religion.
Social values- are actions or ideals that are considered important by society.

“generational gap” which often leads to conflict among people of different ages when discussing a
certain topic.

HOW DOES SOCIETY ENABLE ME TO BECOME A BETTER PERSON?

Society greatly influences the development of the “self”

It was through that only “great”, “Influential”, or “powerful” individuals can bring about change in
their respective societies.

Social movement- is a large-scale action done by varios groups and organizations in pursuit of a
common goal to bring about change.