Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

Lesson 3: The Human Person as an Embodied Spirit

The human person is an important subject in Philosophy and an understanding of the nature and
condition of the person is one of the foremost goals of the discipline. Philosophers have long pondered human
nature, what it means to be human, and what sets us apart from other beings and things in existence.

We often ask ourselves, ‘What makes us special?” Pondering our human nature allows us to determine
the special traits that make us humans unique as a species. Further reflection on our nature as humans will also
help us figure out what makes us special as individuals and how this uniqueness is shared with our fellow
human beings.

The following terms are related to the discussion of the human person:

Man is the general term commonly used to refer to the entire human race. Other related terms include
humanity, mankind. and humankind. Human refers to man as a species Homo sapiens or modern human beings.
The term human being is also used to distinguish man from other animals.

Person is a much more complex term which generally refers to a human being granted recognition of
certain rights. protection, responsibilities. and dignity. above all. Philosophers refer to the human person as the
totality of an individual, possessing awareness, self-determination, and the capacity to interact with others and
with himself or herself. Personhood refers to the state of being a person.

Human nature refers to the characteristics that distinguish humans from all other creatures. These traits
are assumed to arise independent of the influence of culture and i’ society. Examples of these characteristics
include thinking. feeling. and acting. These traits are considered to form the essence of humanity. and without
them. an individual may not be considered a human person.

What is the human person?

The most basic definition of a human being relates to the nature of humans
as animals. Philosophers, however, believe that the human being is not just a mere
animal. There is something in the human individual that sen him or her apart from
other beings. These special traits make a human a distinct individual person.

The first trait that defines a person is self-awareness. Self-awareness refers

to the person having a clear perception of oneself, including his or her thoughts,
emotions, identity, and actions. Human awareness goes beyond perception and reaction to the environment.
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Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

The human person is defined by a deeper awareness which is driven by rationality or human thought. A
person is aware of both his or her surroundings and himself or herself. A human person knows that he or she is
living an experience and is an active participant in this experience. We do not experience life as an audience
watching a movie on a screen; we are stars in our own movies, acting and starring in a story of our own
making.

This awareness gives rise to the notion of the "self”, which philosophers describe as the person who is
actively aware that he or she is perceiving and experiencing reality.

Try saying these words aloud:

I am a person.
I am alive.
I exist.
I am here.
I am present.
I am living at this very moment.

Do you believe that these statements are true? If yes, then congratulations! You are a person possessing
awareness of yourself.

This awareness of the self also enables us persons to experience an “inner world” that is defined by our
personal thoughts and ideas. The fact that we can daydream, get lost in our thoughts, imagine, fantasize, and
reflect shows that we are able to reach within ourselves and experience interiority, which is the quality of
being focused on one's inner life and identity. This interiority enables persons to exercise creativity. It allows us
to imagine the sky in different colors, draw fantastic animals and landscapes, create new music, and think of
lyrics to a mug. Additionally, creativity also means that a person can create within himself or herself what is
not yet existing outside. Having an inner world allows a person to create goals, dreams, and plans which may
be realized through activity, A person can also create himself or herself within and realize this self without.

The self also enables us to reach out and interact with things outside of ourselves. This means that we
are not only aware of our surroundings and everything around us but we are also aware of other human beings.
When we see a stranger smiling or nodding at us, we are aware that another person has seen us and
acknowledged us as a person. We know that the people we encounter are also other persons who possess the
same awareness as we do, as well as the other traits that define a person.

Another trait that defines a person is self-determination. This refers to the capability of persons to
make choices and decisions based on their own preferences, monitor and regulate their actions, and be
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Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

goal-oriented and self-directed. We are persons because we act and we are aware of our actions. Try and raise
your right hand. Are you able to do it.> Who makes you raise your right hands? You may argue that you are
instructed to do so. However, the actual action of raising your hand is yours alone. Your teacher does not have
a remote control that can control your bodily actions. Neither do the printed words in this book possess the
power to directly control your body. You alone decide to comply with the instruction given to raise your right
hand and it is you alone who make your arm move to raise your right hand.

Recall an instance in class when your teacher asked those who knew the answer to a question to raise
their hands. You only raised your hand if you knew the answer to the question. Alternatively, you may have
known the answer to the question but refused to raise your hand. Our free will enables us to do actions
whenever we want to and makes self-determination possible. Free will is the capacity to choose a course of
action from various alternatives. The existence of free will enables a person to act willfully, control his or her
actions, and recognize himself or herself as the source of action.

Imagine a small boy, Carlo, playing in the living room of their house while his mother is in the kitchen.
Suddenly, the boy accidentally bumps into a table, musing a vase to fall. Upon hearing the sound of something
crashing to the floor, Carlo's mother immediately goes into the living room and sees him standing near the
broken vase. Carlo's mother asks him, "Did you break the vase?” What do you think his answer will be?

I broke the vase, Mama.

l bumped into the table and the vase fell, Mama.
No. I did not break the vase, Mama. .

The first two statements show that Carlo is aware of himself as the
cause for the vase breaking. The second statement gives more details but note
that Carlo admits to bumping the table, which in turn caused the vase to fall
and break. His answer shows that Carlo is aware of himself as the source of
action and has acted accordingly, owning up to the fact that he indirectly
broke the vase. Carlo also exercises self-determination in determining which
response to give. Carlo can choose to admit breaking the vase, or he can
choose to deny that he broke the vase.

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Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

A discussion on self-determination and free will eventually leads to a discussion of consequence.

Consequence is the result or effect of an action or condition. As persons, we are aware that each action we
perform has a consequence. Imagine holding an egg in your hands. What will happen if you squeeze the egg?
What will happen if you open your hand and let the egg fall? This simple scenario shows the relationship
between action and consequence. Philosophers assume that a person acts freely and with due regard for the
consequences of his or her actions.

Now, think back and reflect on your daily actions. What are the intended consequences of your
everyday "normal” actions? What are the consequences of waking up early? Eating breakfast? Taking a bath?
Going to school? Doing school work? Talking to your friends? Doing homework? Going home early? Sleeping
on time? Oftentimes, reflection is needed to uncover the intentions and consequences of our actions. There may
also be instances when our actions produce unintended consequences. For example, you decide not to go home
at six o’clock in the evening but instead spend time with your friends. Back home, a delivery truck arrives at
6:30 PM carrying a package from your relative. But since no one is home, the delivery man is unable to give
the package to your family.

Persons exercise self~ determined actions but often encounter unintended consequences of their actions.

Now try and complete the sequence. What do you think will happen if Carlo admits to breaking the vase?
What will happen if he does not admit to breaking the vase?

Carlo may not have intended to break the vase, but he now has the free will to choose how he will
respond to his mother’s question. This brings us to another element of human action, which is morality or the
goodness or badness of an act. As an observer in this situation, how will you judge Carlo if he admits to
breaking the vase? You may consider him a good boy because he is honest. You may also describe him as a
brave boy because he faces the risk of being scolded by his mother for breaking the vase.. '

If Carlo denies breaking the vase, what will be your reaction? Surely you will say that he is lying, and
that he is being a bad boy. Put yourself in Carlo’s shoes and imagine yourself lying to your mother. This act
will result in feelings of guilt or nervousness because we are aware of the fact that we are lying and what we
are doing is wrong. Imagine that Carlo's _ mother figures out that he is lying, what will be her reaction?

Human action is such an important aspect of the person that many philosophers consider human action
as a way to reveal a person’s true nature For example, we may find a person attractive, but if he or she acts in a
rude or offensive manner, our initial favorable impression may change. Human acts complete the person, as it

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Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

is through his or her actions that his or her inner self is revealed to others, and it is through action that a person
is able to explore and fulfill his or her potential.

Now, let us try and say these statements.

I am a person.
My actions are my own and are made freely.
I know that I am the cause of m y actions.
I know that my actions have consequences.
If you believe these statements apply to you, then you are now closer to a fuller realization of yourself as a
person.

Another important trait that defines a human person is externality or the capability to reach out and
interact with others and the world. Earlier, we discussed the concept of the self and the capability of the person
to relate to other persons that he or she encounters. The realization that we are not alone and that there are other
persons around us enables us to reach out and establish meaningful relationships with others.

Philosophers consider man a social being, and that a person never exists in isolation. We may be able to
experience interiority we imagine and think for ourselves but we also share these thoughts with other persons.
Man has a natural tendency to seek out fellow human beings, and the relationships established by this
interaction is a vital component for survival.

Imagine waking up one morning and finding that all the people in your community have disappeared.
Your family, friends, and all other persons are gone without a trace. Can you imagine living in a place or a
world where there are no people? Will you be able to provide for your needs now that you are alone? How will
you get your food and other things needed for survival? Do you see yourself living normally now that you have
no one to talk to no family and friends to interact with?

Our interactions with others define our existence as persons. We grow and develop not only through our
thoughts and actions, but also through the influence of other people in our lives; and the individuals we meet
and interact with.

Reflect on the relationships you have established ever since. Can you say that you ' have grown as a
person because you had meaningful interactions with the people you met throughout your life? If you answer
Yes, then you can say the following statements with conviction.

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Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

I am a person.
I value others.
I interact with others in meaningful ways.
I value my relationships with others.
The final trait that distinguishes the human person is dignity or the innate right to be valued and
respected. Philosophers consider all humans as having an inherent worth or value. Philosophers, however, do
not equate value or worth with any quantifiable measure such as a price. Each person is worth the same as
another person in the sense that every person is priceless, unique, unrepeatable, and irreplaceable. We do not
value another person in the same way that we assign values to 'things such as cars or houses. Putting a price on
a person diminishes human dignity since we tend to value some people more while we may diminish the worth
of others. This is why we consider the statement “You're worthless!" an insult, since it attacks the very notion
of a person having value or worth.

The value of a human person is also proven by the fact that no person is dispensable or interchangeable.
Each person is his or her own being and there is no one in the world who is exactly like him or her. The other
people in our lives are also irreplaceable. Imagine being told that you will have to leave your family and live
with strangers. The relationship between you and the "new" people in your life will not be as meaningful as the
one you had with your original family. If you were told that you will be moving to another school, One of the
first concerns you may have is that you will be leaving your friends behind. This is the reason why any form of
separation from the people we love and value is a difficult and painful experience.

Human dignity is rooted in the nature of the human being. This means
that a human person has dignity simply because of the fact that he or she is
human. Dignity is not defined by outside forces or characteristics such as
intelligence, ability, skills, or attractiveness. Whether one is a genius or
mentally challenged does not remove the individual’s dignity as a person.
This also applies to people with handicaps or disabilities. A person who loses
an arm or a leg does not become less human or less of a person. Also, a
person retains his or her dignity in spite of his actions or behavior. This
means that criminals who may have committed very heinous offenses are still
persons even if others consider their acts cruel or inhuman.

Human dignity also drives us to seek what is good. Doing good actions, therefore, upholds and
promotes the dignity of the human person. Since we recognize ourselves as persons with dignity who deserve
to be treated well and respected, we should also treat other persons in a respectful manner. The recognition of
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Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

the dignity of the human person is' the basis for the recognition of human rights. Many of the rights we enjoy
are provided in recognition of the natural dignity of the human person.

If you believe that you and all other human beings are persons with dignity, then you will agree with the
following statements.

What is in our human nature that enables us to become persons?

So far we have focused on traits and behavior that define human Persons. Philosophers have delved
deeper into the question of personhood. They denied to identify the substantial elements that give rise to the
characteristics that enable us to become persons. They asked what enables humans to have a sense of self and
the traits that define the person. To find the answer, philosophers began to ponder the essential nature of the
human being.

The first question philosophers pondered was whether or not the person is truly defined by his or her
body and what he or she experiences through the senses. The initial view was that the person is a purely
physical being defined by his or her body and what his or her body experiences. This emphasis on physicality is
seen when we describe ourselves as "tall” or someone with “brown hair” and "brown eyes."

Our body is not the only thing that defines us. Philosophers believe that a person cannot be simply
reduced to his or her physical body. For instance, if a person has an accident and loses an arm and a leg, does
that person lose a part of his or her identity? Does he or she become less of a person? If we were to base
personhood on the ability to perceive using our senses, does that mean that blind and deaf people cannot be
considered persons?

If you describe yourself as someone who is “hopeful”, “happy" or "friendly,” are these traits evident in
your physical body? These characteristics are very much part of us, but are not seen in any physical trait we
possess and are only made evident through our actions.

Philosophers point to another unseen aspect of the human person which, along with the body, defines us
as persons. This intangible element is the spirit which enables us to exercise thought, possess awareness,
interiority, and the capacity to reach out to the outside world and other persons.

How are the body and the spirit related?

Philosophers consider the human person as defined by the union of the body and the spirit. The human
person is an embodied spirit. Not only are the body and spirit united, but they are also integrated with each
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Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

other. This means that we cannot separate the two and they go hand-in-hand in making us who we are.
Whatever affects the body also affects the spirit, and this unique trait of the person enables him or her to
experience both the physical world and the spiritual world. Embodiment enables us to do and experience all the
things that make us human persons.

To understand embodiment better, let us talk about love. What has love got to do with embodiment, you
ask. This would all depend on if you have ever been in love. If you have not yet experienced falling in love, it
is certain that you know people who have been in love, or know what being in love is like from what you have
read in books or seen in movies and television.

People often associate this feeling with the symbol of the heart. Many believe that the heart is the center
of feelings of love and affection, as love seems to cause the heart to flutter or beat faster. Scientists, however,
consider love a result of various biological reactions associated with an increase of hormones, which have
certain effects on the body. Some even identify a part of the brain, the hypothalamus, as responsible for the
feelings we associate with being in love.

Philosophers, on the other hand, argue that reducing a profound experience such as love to biological
functions or the activities of certain body parts is absurd. We love not just with the heart nor with the brain, but
we love another person with our entire being. Embodiment, therefore, is-the one thing that enables us to feel
love and love others.

Our experience is also a product of embodiment. The human mind processes information through the
senses, which are experienced through the body. Aside from perceiving our surroundings, we also react to the
things we experience emotionally. Most Of our meaningful experiences are often closely tied to emotions such
as happiness, anger, or sadness. If you are to recall a happy moment in your life, you not only remember the
people you were with and the events that happened at that moment, you also feel the happiness you felt at that
moment.

The human body also stands as the mediator between the material world and the spiritual world. Being
an embodied spirit, the person is able to encounter the world of objects (including other personal subjects) in a
manner that transcends the physical. This feature of the person allows him or her to form an intimate
relationship with those outside him or her. Human embodiment allows persons to attach certain feelings or
ideas not only to people, but also to objects. For example, a pair of rubber slippers may not mean much to most
people, but a particular pair of rubber slippers could be someone's treasure.How is this possible? Because the

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Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

pair of rubber slippers in question is not just a material object to someone, but it could be something
meaningful as a present from a loved one.

With human embodiment, physical acts are no longer purely physical acts, because the body conveys
something from a person’s inner world. These emotions and ideas are given to another person who, because of
interiority, recognizes the thoughts that the other wishes to convey. This explains why people who are in love
with each other seem to communicate effortlessly without words. The mere act of “holding hands” conveys a
powerful message between lovers, as it is through this act that they can express their affection toward each
other. A smile from a stranger will not elicit a reaction from you, but a smile from your crush will immediately
cause an intense emotional reaction in you. A pat on the shoulder may mean a lot to a person if it comes from
someone he or she looks up to. These examples show that it is through embodiment that a person is able to
have a very unique relationship with the world. And it is this unique relationship that defines us as humans.

How does my human nature enable me to explore my limits?

Though the nature of the person as an embodied spirit provides numerous opportunities to explore
everything around us and even within us, our human nature still imposes limitations. It is true that the human
person enjoys a number of advantages compared to other beings, but there are still a number of things that
humans naturally cannot do. It can be said that the person is a very biologically deficient being. This means that
we are not equipped with the best physical attributes among all the beings in the world.

For instance, we do not have the natural ability to fly. We also cannot breathe underwater without the
aid of a breathing apparatus. We cannot survive in certain environments like other animals. Compared to other
animals, we have limited capabilities with regard to strength, speed, and the use of our senses. Despite these
natural limitations, we have used our intellect to devise means to achieve several feats. We now use airplanes to
fly, employ scuba gear to swim underwater for extended periods, and invented tools and machines to lift great
weights and perform other feats well beyond our physical capabilities.

The ability to surpass limits is called transcendence, and it is also one important trait that.distinguishes
the human person from other beings in existence. Analyze the following questions and check if you have ever
found yourself asking or wondering the same things.

Have you ever wondered about what is beyond our world or universe?
Have you ever wanted to become better at something or to learn something new?
Do you see yourself becoming a better person over time?
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Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

Have you ever imagined a life that is better than what you are living now?
Our mind is an important tool that allows us to go beyond many of our physical limits. As persons, we
are able to exercise our imagination and reflection to go beyond our own thoughts and experiences. For
example, we can imagine ourselves in other places without traveling there. Even if we are seated inside the
classroom, we often find ourselves daydreaming that we in other places or doing other things. We cannot travel
through I time, but we use our minds to recall the past and even imagine the future. We can even think of things
that do not exist in reality like fire-breathing dragons, winged horses, and flying elephants. Although we have
physical limitations, we can transcend them because of our spiritual dimension. Being physically limited in our
abilities does not prevent us from hoping for or aspiring to greater things.

It must also be understood that as human persons, we have natural tendencies or inclinations. Some of
these are felt bodily functions and they are experienced as a person goes through life. The feeling of hunger
reminds us that the body needs food and nourishment. The feeling of fatigue is a reminder that the body has
limits and needs to rest and recover. Transcendence also means overcoming oneself or being in control even if
the body reminds us of certain tendencies. Although these tendencies are felt, the person can govern them and
ensure that they are exercised within the bounds of reason. A person who has no control over his or her eating
habit eventually becomes unhealthy and develops an eating disorder; a person who allows the pleasures of
dangerous drugs to rule over him becomes a drug addict.

Philosophy gives us useful tools to explore our limitations and

possibilities for transcendence. The essence of transcendence is to
acknowledge our limitations; possibilities for development, and
change ourselves for the better. It may be a physical or behavioral
Change such as trying a new sport or hobby or adopting a healthier
lifestyle you can also take on a mental challenge such as learning a new
skill or doing better m your studies. Another aspect of transcendence is
opening yourself to new experiences and ideas. Our capacity for
transcendence gives us the opportunity to work toward becoming better
versions of ourselves.

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