Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

2. The students are expected to:
1. discuss philosophy and its importance as a
discipline and a means for understanding
life;
2. appreciate the value of philosophy in daily
life;
3. become philosophical in dealing with life
situations; and

3. A murderer is sentenced into
death. He has to choose
between three rooms. The first
room is full of furious flame.
The second is full of murderers
with loaded guns. And there are
lions in the third room who had
not been fed for years. Which
room is the safest?
Answer: The room of the lions because they’re dead if they haven’t been fed for years!

5. “An unexamined
life is not worth
living.”
- Socrates

6. Read and analyse the following conversation between a high school teacher and her student in class.
Teacher: Juan, what would you
like to be when you grow
up?
Juan: Ma’am, I want to be
happy!
Teacher: Juan, you did not
understand my question.
Juan: Ma’am, you do not
understand what life is all

7. Processing Questions:
1. Do you think that Juan’s answer was appropriate for
his teacher’s question?
2. What do you think was Juan’s interpretation of his
teacher’s question?
3. Based on his responses, what kind of student do you
imagine Juan to be?
4. If you were Juan’s teacher, how would you respond to
him?
5. How is philosophy related to this situation?

8. 1. What is philosophy?
2. Why is there a need to
philosophize?
3. How do we characterize the study
of philosophy?
4. What are the practical uses of

9. Philosophy comes from two
Greek words: philos (love) and
sophia (wisdom) which were
used by ancient Greeks to refer to
“love of wisdom” and soon
applied it to the study or
discipline that uses human reason
to investigate the ultimate,
causes, reasons, and principles
which govern all things
Philosophers are people
who engage in philosophy or

10. Pythagoras
 a mathematician and scientist, credited with
formulating the Pythagorean Theorem
 established a community of learners
devoted to the study of religion and
philosophy
Heraclitus
 proposed that everything that exists is
based on a higher order or plan which he
called logos
 change is permanent aspect of the human
condition; “No man never steps in the
same river twice.”

11. Democritus
 study the causes of natural phenomena
 was among the first to propose that
matter is composed of tiny particles called
atoms Diogenes of Sinope
 a known advocate of living a simple and
virtuous life
 one should not only talk of virtue but should
show it in words and actions
 his emphasis on austerity and simplicity often
went to the extreme and was said to have
lived like a beggar

12. Epicurus
 philosophy could enable
man to live a life of happiness
 his views gave rise to
Epicureanism – a school of
philosophy which believes
that wisdom and simple
living will result in a life free
of fear and pain

13. Socrates
 considered the foremost philosopher
of ancient times
 he did not claim to be “wise” and
merely considered himself a “midwife”
that helped inquiring minds achieve
wisdom
 believed that philosophy could enable a
man to live a life of virtue.
 formulated the Socratic Method – a
means of examining a topic by devising
a series of questions that let the learner
examine and anlyze his knowledge and

14. Plato
 a student of Socrates, he wrote down
his mentor’s teachings and incorporated
some of his own ideas
 his teachings and writings were
considered the foundation of Western
philosophy
 dialectic – a method of inquiry where
two opposing ideas are discussed in an
attempt to arrive at new knowledge
 founded the Academy – an institution of
higher learning which was the first of its
kind in the Western World

15. Aristotle
 he attended the academy and
prominent student of Plato
 all ideas and views are based on
perception and our reality is based on
what we can sense and perceive
 studied logic that led to the
formulation of a formal process of
analyzing reasoning which gave rise to
deductive reasoning – the process of
which specific statements are
analyzed to reach a conclusion or
generalization

16. We all have the potential to
philosophize since we have the
tendency to wonder and doubt. We
possess the capacity to reflect on our
experiences, and we have a never-
ending need to learn and discover.
The need to philosophize is traced to
a person’s sense of wonder (Plato)
and doubt (Rene Descartes), the need
to make sense of challenging
experiences (Karl Jaspers), and the
love for wisdom.

17. The study of philosophy can be
considered as a way of analyzing ideas
and frameworks. It is also considered
as a way of examining a particular area
of knowledge. Philosophy itself is a
discipline with its own goals, concerns,
and ways of doing things. It also
makes use of information gathered
from other fields of knowledge and
not just its own conclusions. Finally,
philosophy can be considered a
reflective and meditative activity.

18. Aesthetics
deals with beauty and what makes
things “beautiful”
Logic
the branch of philosophy which
deals with correct reasoning
Epistemology
discusses the nature of knowledge
and knowing
Ethics
the branch which deals with moral
questions and dilemmas

19. Political Philosophy
studies governments and deals with
questions of justice, power and the
rights and obligations of citizens
Metaphysics
deals with questions regarding reality
and existence
Philosophy of the Human Person
understands the human person from a
philosophical perspective – integrating
and synthesizing the different branches
of philosophy and other fields of study
to know the truth about the human

20. Practical Uses of Philosophy in Our Lives:
1. Philosophy enables a person to engage in critical analysis and
interpretation of concepts, definitions, arguments, and
problems.
2. Philosophy also improves problem-solving and decision
making.
3. A philosopher is a good communicator who can clearly and
adequately present his or her ideas.
4. Wisdom is one intended product of philosophizing that refers
to a person’s ability to apply knowledge to daily life particularly
in making sound choices and judgment.

21. Describe (through poster, slogan,
essay, song, poem, drawing, etc.) a
situation in your life when you were
able to engage in philosophy. What
circumstances or dilemma brought
about your need to philosophize? How
did philosophy help you address your

22. 1. What are the reasons that compel a person
to engage in philosophical thinking?
2. How can you as a person benefit from
philosophizing?
3. Based on the characteristics of Philosophy,
would it be possible for any person to
engage in philosophical discussion? Why or
why not?

23. Direction: Identify what is asked in each number.
2. What does the Greek term for philosophy, philosophia,
mean?
1. What is the study or discipline that uses human reason to
investigate the ultimate causes, reasons, and principles
which govern all things?
3. The Greek philosopher Plato believes that philosophy is
brought by man’s sense of __________.
4. He believed that persons engage in philosophy in order to
make sense of difficult life experiences.

24. 6. What refers to a way of thinking about the world and is made
up of a person’s views and beliefs?
5. Rene Descartes considers this as a reason why people
philosophize.
7. Whose studies in logic led to the formulation of a formal
process of analysing reasoning which gave rise to deductive
reasoning?
8. Who was considered the foremost philosopher of ancient
times?
9. His most significant ideas included his Theory of Forms.
10. What is the branch of Philosophy which deals with moral
questions and dilemmas?

25. Answer Key:
1. Philosophy 6. Framework
2. Love of Wisdom 7. Aristotle
3. Wonder 8. Socrates
4. Karl Jaspers 9. Plato
5. Doubt 10. Ethics

26. What philosophical questions
do you wish to be answered
as you study this course? List
down five.

27. The students are expected to:
1. distinguish a holistic perspective from
a partial point of view (PPT11/12-Ia-1.1);
2. recognize the value of having a
holistic view to become better
individuals; and
3. understand situations from different

28. A man carrying two bags with sand
crosses the Mexican border on a
bicycle every day. Custom officers
regularly check the bags and all the
time they contain sand. It is
obvious that the man smuggles
something but the officers can’t
realize what it is exactly. As they
don’t have any proof, the Mexican
man crosses the border without
interruptions. What does he
smuggle?

29. Answer: This creative individual distracts the customs
officers’ attention with the bags of sand. But in fact,
he smuggles bicycles!

30. “My philosophy comes from
a worldview that looks at
the world as one. It’s a
holistic view that sees the
world as interconnected
and interdependent and
integrated in so many
different ways …”
– Dennis Kucinich
How do you understand the quotation below?

31. Building Vocabularies:
1. Holistic Thinking
2. Partial Thinking

32. Read the poem written by John Godfrey Saxe’s on the classic Indian legend of the Six Blind Men and the
Elephant.
It was six men of
Indostan
To learning much
inclined,
Who went to see the
Elephant
(Though all of them were
blind),

33. The First approach’d the
Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and
sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
“God bless me! But the
Elephant
Is very like a WALL!”

34. The Second, feeling of the
tusk,
Cried, - “Ho! What have we
here
So very round and smooth
and sharp?
To me ‘tis mighty clear
This wonder of an
Elephant
Is very like a SPEAR!”

35. The Third approached the
animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within
his hands,
Thus boldly up and spoke:
“I see,” quoth he, “the
Elephant
Is very like a SNAKE!”

36. The Fourth reached out his
eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
“What most this wondrous
beast is like
Is mighty plan,” quoth he,
“’Tis clear enough the
Elephant
Is very like a TREE!”

37. The Fifth, who chanced to
touch the ear,
Said: “E’en the blindest
man
Can tell what this
resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a FAN!”

38. The Sixth no sooner had
begun
About the beast to grope,
Then, seizing on the
swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
“I see,” quoth he, “the
Elephant
Is very like a ROPE!”

39. And so these men of
Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and
strong,
Though each was partly
in the right,
And all were in the
MORAL
So oft in theologic wars
The disputants, I ween
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other
mean,
And prate about an
Elephant
Not one of them has

40. Processing Questions:
1. Did anyone among the blind men give the correct answer?
Why or why not?
2. In the context of the elephant story, what do you think is a
holistic perspective? What is a partial point of view?
3. What is the importance of a holistic perspective as pointed
out by the poet John Godfrey Saxe?
4. In the last stanza, John Godfrey Saxe related the legend to
the religious wars during his time. What do you think is
John Godfrey Saxe trying to say in this poem?

41. What is the difference
between holistic thinking
and partial thinking?

42. Holistic Thinking
 refers to a perspective that
considers large-scale patterns in
system
 often described as looking at
the “big picture” when
describing and analyzing a
situation or problem
 requires an individual to have an
open mind-set and an ability to
get the general
sense/impression regarding a

43. Partial Thinking
 focuses on specific aspects of a
situation
 important component of
analytical thinking, as an individual
focuses on certain areas or
aspects of a problem in order to
understand it
 though partial thinking is useful,
philosophy utilizes holistic
thinking in making sense of
problems and issues related to the

44. Adopting a holistic view enables a
person to view a problem more
objectively and come up with
better decisions or solutions. A
holistic view also means that one
does not confine one’s
understanding of the world to
one’s own perspective, but also
includes the perspective of others.
This view also enables a person to
better appreciate his or her
experience as vital components

45. The story of the elephant and the
blind men can be an analogy of
everyday experiences. Recall an
experience where you had
disagreements with friends or family
over something. Was the
disagreement resolved? If yes, how?
If not, how can a more holistic
perspective help in the resolution?
Share your story to your
groupmates, then choose the best
story that you will share to others in

46. Have you adopted a holistic view
in looking at a problem or
situation? How did adopting a
holistic view help you make
sense of the situation?

47. Test I. Direction: Write True if the statement is correct and False if it is wrong with the word or
words that make it incorrect.
1. A holistic view helps us understand a situation from
different vantage points so we can see it more
partially.
2. People tend to apply analytical perspective when
looking at problems or situations.
3. Holistic thinking refers to a perspective that considers
small-scale patterns in systems.

48. 4. An individual uses a partial point of view when he/she
looks at only a limited number of aspects of the given
problem or situation.
5. A holistic perspective cannot enable a person to step
back and consider the general aspects of a certain
problem.
Test II. Direction: How are you going to show a holistic point of view to a situation wherein
the two of your closest friends dispute about something?

49. Answer Key:
1. (False, partially – fully)
2. (True)
3. (False, small-scale – large
scale)
4. (True)

50. How does a teacher
help the class arrive
at a holistic view of an
issue? Is involving the
students by
interacting with them
helpful in arriving at a
holistic view of

51.  Abella, R. (2016). Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human
Person Textbook. Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.
 Corpuz, B., Corpuz, R., Corpuz-Paclibar, ML., and Paclibar, S.
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person for Senior High
Senior High School. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
 BhaviniOnline.com
https://link.quipper.com/en/organizations/547ff9c4d2b76d0002001
d7d/curriculum

52. For MORE OR ALL Competency – Based
PowerPoint Presentations (convertible into
lesson plans) of Senior High School
Curriculum Guide in Introduction to the
Philosophy of the Human Person, you may
contact me at this e-mail :
99.taurus.boy.99@gmail.com