Human Philosophy

1. FREEDOM OF THE
HUMAN PERSON

2. WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF
FREEDOM?
We start with a Latin phrase: philosophia ancilla theologiae. This
phrase literally means "philosophy is the servant of theology." This
phrase is famous during the medieval period in philosophy and it
was espoused by St. Thomas Aquinas. “the idea was to improve
theology, not to enslave philosophy.”

3. We can understand where freedom begins when we discuss the
doctrine of IMAGO DEI – the image of God. The doctrine speaks
about the human person being created in the image and likeness
of God.

4. DO YOU STILL REMEMBER THE
STORY OF THE FIRST TEMPTATION?

5. Do you think that Eve and Adam has their freedom? How can you
say so?

6. IMAGO DEI
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he
created them; male and female he created them.” It is not difficult
to comprehend this verse from Genesis when we fully understand it
through a philosophical perspective. Philosophy makes it easier for
us to understand our faith – hence, philosophia ancilla theologiae.

7. SO, WHAT DOES IT MEAN? AND HOW
DOES FREEDOM ORIGINATES FROM
THIS?

8. CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH
According to CCC, 1701 says “Christ, in the very revelation of the
mystery of the Father and of His love, makes man fully manifest to
himself and brings to light his exalted vocation.” It is in Christ, “the
image of the invisible God, that man has been created “in the
image and likeness” of the creator

9. It is in Christ, Redeemer and Savior, that the divine image,
disfigured in man by the first sin, has been restored to its original
beauty and ennobled by the grace of God. This supports the idea
of man’s dignity – being created in God’s image, a being that is
GOOD and not evil. Thus, as 1702 says “the divine image is
present in every man.”

10. Moreover, 1703 wants us to contemplate on the truth about God’s
will to create humankind - Endowed with a spiritual and immortal
soul, the human person is “the only creature on earth that God has
willed for its own sake.”

11. In 1704, it reveals the gift of God towards man – the gift of
REASON and FREE WILL – as it says, “the human person
participates in the light and power of the divine Spirit. By his
REASON, he is capable of understanding the order of things
established by the Creator. By FREE WILL, he is capable of
directing himself toward his true good. He finds perfection in
seeking and loving what is true and good.”

12. THE ORIGIN OF FREEDOM
–IS A GIFT FROM GOD!

13. REASON
Faculty of
intellect that is
capable of
understanding
the order of all
things that
God created
FREE WILL
Faculty of the
mind which
selects a desire
at the moment
of decision
from among the
various desires
present

14. 1705 states the most important part of the doctrine: “by virtue of his
soul and his spiritual powers of intellect and will, man is endowed
with FREEDOM, an outstanding manifestation of the divine image.”

15. Freedom originates from God as a gift to mankind. The very
essence of man’s freedom is to do what is good and avoid what is
evil. Free will is given to us to incline ourselves to the Supreme
Being, and on that note is a manifestation of true and logical
thinking.

16. OUR FREEDOM COMES FROM THE
SUPREME AND HIGHEST BEING.
The essence of freedom in a human person is to do good and
avoid evil. Free will must always come with a rational and logical
intellect. We do good because we are naturally born as good. So to
bring back the grace of goodness within our personhood, we follow
the highest good of all – doing the right thing always.

17. LET US NOT FORGET THE CONCEPT
OF ST. THOMAS AQUINAS:
Aquinas views the image of God in three senses. Firstly, the
general sense of the image of God is seen in all people because of
their rational faculty. Secondly, the richer or higher sense of the
image of God is seen only in believers who are being conformed to
the grace of God (Christ), though they are imperfect. Thirdly, the
highest sense of the image of God is seen in believers who have
been glorified.

18. GAMSAHABNIDA!!!