The document discusses the nature of human beings from various perspectives. It describes humans as complex organisms composed of physical body, intellect and emotions. It discusses humans as rational beings with the power of reasoning, in contrast to animals. The document also discusses the biblical creation of humans, describing humans as created in God's image and formed from dust with God's breath. It views humans as having a body, soul and spirit.
The document discusses the nature of human beings from various perspectives. It describes humans as complex organisms composed of physical body, intellect and emotions. It discusses humans as rational beings with the power of reasoning, in contrast to animals. The document also discusses the biblical creation of humans, describing humans as created in God's image and formed from dust with God's breath. It views humans as having a body, soul and spirit.
The document discusses the nature of human beings from various perspectives. It describes humans as complex organisms composed of physical body, intellect and emotions. It discusses humans as rational beings with the power of reasoning, in contrast to animals. The document also discusses the biblical creation of humans, describing humans as created in God's image and formed from dust with God's breath. It views humans as having a body, soul and spirit.
The document discusses the nature of human beings from various perspectives. It describes humans as complex organisms composed of physical body, intellect and emotions. It discusses humans as rational beings with the power of reasoning, in contrast to animals. The document also discusses the biblical creation of humans, describing humans as created in God's image and formed from dust with God's breath. It views humans as having a body, soul and spirit.
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Knowing man as an individual and as a member
of society is fundamental in the study of values
and ethics. To understand the nature of man is a courageous task owing to his complexity. Man is a complex organism, for he is composed of physical body, intellect, and emotions. Science: Man is “homo sapiens” Biological Characteristic:
1. Man walk erect on two feet, other animals
wlak mostly on four feet. 2. Man has two full hands in handling things, while Animals has no free hand. 3. Man has complex brain than animals. 1. Man is rational, has power of reasoning. He can figures out what is right and what is wrong. While animals are irrational, they only have instinct. 2. Man has complex technigques of producing, procuring, preparing and cooking food. While animals roam around and eat raw foods. 3. Human beings share curiosity, imitation, attention, memory and imagination. Creation “And God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he them; male and female he created them (Gen. 1:26-27, RSV).” Gen. 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the Formed dust of the ground, and Heb. = “Yatsar” breathed into his nostrils = “To sqeeze into shape the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Like a potter squeezing clay The LORD God made mans body from the dust But man was not yet living Five truths about man as a person are revealed in these passages: 1. God fashioned man from the substance of creation that preceded him (dust/earth) 2. Man's life-giving essence is the breath of God, or spirit. 3. Male and Female He created them. (equity) 4. He is made in God's likeness. 5. He was made lord of creation. He became a living being, an organic unity. (Dualism, body-soul) An embodied spirit – As subject, human beings are also defined by having a human body. Historically, philosophers have tried to separate body from mind and spirit, but there is now a consensus among contemporary Christian Theologians that the elements are intrinsically united. Teilhard de Chardin: - “ Man is a being who knows what he knows.” Martin Heiddeger:
-“Man is responsible not only of himself but for all
men.” Msgr. Fulton Sheen:
-”describes man on three-level structure: body, soul
and spirit” His Body = through his senses, makes him aware of the material universe.
His Soul = also calls mind or psyche, makes him
responsive to other people and to arts, sciences, philosophy and law.
His Spirit = facilitates a communion with God.
Body - Our meat, bones and guts Breath - The air that we breathe - Hebrew “Neshamah” Spirit - Gods sustaining power - Hebrew “Chayim” Like Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas taught that man naturally longs for perfection and happiness that this longing can be realized on earth. (Development of man’s powers/potentials –Whole Man/Universal Man of Aristotle) Yet to Aquinas, such a man, though he has attained the highest possible perfection and happiness on earth still longs for the INFINITE and the ETERNAL. All the goods of this life such as money, fame, power, health, talents, and even life itself are UNSTABLE, LIMITED, and TRANSITORY. And even if man had gained all of these, they cannot make him PERFECTLY happy. In the transcendental vision of St. Thomas & Christian teaching, man in his present state of existence on earth is mortal, finite, and imperfect; “the attainment of union with God, where man is elevated to the rank of the Divine. (The Immortal, the Perfect). The Transformation Present State - Ultimate Destiny Imperfect - Perfect Finite - Infinite Temporal - Eternal Natural - Supernatural Human - Divine The power of transcendence in man: “Of all creatures of God, man has the unique power to change himself and the things around him for the better.” - Indeed, in accordance with this natural urge to be perfect and happy, we can improve and even perfect ourselves. - Marvelously, man can even transcend himself. For Aquinas, “for when man dies he does not really ceases to exist – he merely transcends his mortal bodily life, his limitations and imperfections in space and time – thanks to the immortality of the human soul. A just man at death transcend his mortal state by good deeds. In the light of the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas and Christian teaching we see that man has a supernatural transcendental destiny. (pls. check Encyclical “Progression Populorum” which presented that the highest stage of man’s pefection attainable through man’s union with the all-Perfect Being, God. Transcendental = “transcendere” means to go beyond, soar above or surpass. To actually reach his supernatural destiny man should be elevated and empowered by supernatural grace (love). This is the power of love spoken by St. Paul which elevates human beings to the rank of the Divine to become children of God and heirs of the heavenly kingdom. “by the Power of LOVE you are made children of God and participants to the Divine nature.” Law commands and compel; love only calls and invites. What is a Person/Human ? - It can be stated that : “human being is a human person as every human person is a human being.” - Three fundamental aspects of human being: (deeper understanding) - 1. Human being is bodily, organic, physical - 2. Human being is also integrated-unity-of-life, a living being, a living whole, a one, an individual. - 3. Human being is being with the temporal continuity, a being with a history, a being in time. Unlike physical beauty, moral beauty is unseen by the senses, but is of the highest rank in the hierarchy of human values; for in moral excellence, as in good moral character, lies the true worth of man. Accdg. to Immanuel Kant: “Due to man’s gift of reason and free will, man is the master of his actions, and the architect of his own life and destiny.” Man, for Kant, is the only creature who governs and directs himself and his actions, who sets up ends for himself and his purpose and freely orders means for the attainment of his aims. Every man is thus an END in himself and should never be treated merely as a means – as per the order of the Creator and the natural order of things. In no way and by no means should a person be used or exploited against his will as a means to further the selfish ends of other person or group of person. The principle, that all men should be treated as ends, and not as means is bolstered by the fundamental postulate of equality. All men are persons gifted with the same basic rights and therefore should treat each other as co- equals. (ex. St. Augustine) On the basis of equality , human relations should not be impersonal; but on the contrary, should be inter- personal. We must do good because we must. IT IS OUR DUTY TO DO GOOD. An action is good only if done and motivated by the pure sense of duty or out of pure reverence for the law. If done from any other motive, the act may only be legal but not moral. “There is nothing truly good,” Kant says, but the good will. In Kantian sense, it signifies the free will of man ever motivated and inspired by DUTY. Goodwill which acts solely from pure sense of duty, out of pure reverence for the law, no matter what the consequences or circumstances may be, is good in itself. (Ex. Telling the truth) Kant envisioned an ideal kingdom where all men are free, equal, prosperous and happy. Three points: 1. Treat every person, including yourself, as an end in himself and not as means. 2. Always act in such way as to will your action to become a universal law(ex. Doing good is already part of our nature) 3. Act as a rational and free being from the pure sense of duty.