INTRODUCTION TO

PHILOSOPHY OF
HUMAN PERSON
GRADE 12

JAY C. MANGARON
Objective:

•Analyze situations that

show the difference
between opinion and truth.
Activity: “Drugs and Killings” – Opinions

Read and comprehend the

following statement about the
killing of drug pushers and
addicts in the country.
Mang Antonio:
• The drug addicts had it coming. It is good that
these piece of trash are dealt with. In our
barangay, the addicts have been committing crime
for years! Now that this is happening and addicts
are being killed left and right, they have been
surrendering to the police or have disappeared. I
say that we should keep killing them until none
are left.
Attorney Macaraig:
• As a lawyer and a citizen, I am deeply disturbed by these events. Yes
the drug addicts are a danger to society. But these killings are done
outside of the due process that is guaranteed by our justice system and
laws. Anybody can just point a finger at anyone and say that he or she
is an addict. Are the people committing these murders exercising due
process in determining if people they are killing are indeed addicts?
The killings are also a violation of human rights which are guaranteed
for all citizen, whether they are law-abiding or accused of a crime.
What I am saying is that these drug dealers have rights too. Aside from
that, these acts are nothing but vigilantism, which has no place in law-
abiding society. These killings may lead to more crimes which may
affect not only those who said to be guilty, but also innocent citizens.
Mrs. Lopez
• I really do not care about this issue. These killings
make me nervous, but at least I am not affected
by this. My family are decent people and we live
in a peaceful community that has no drug addicts.
As long as these criminals are dealt with and
peace and order are maintained in our
community, I couldn’t care less about what is
happening to these addicts.
Father Gomez:
• It is the Catholic church’s stand that life is sacred. We
have long opposed capital punishment since it violates
the sacredness of life. The killings of suspected addicts
is a violation of God’s law and goes against human
rights and the rule of law. We call the government to
put a stop to these senseless murders. It is every
Christian’s duty to take a stand against murder and the
prevailing culture of death and join our call to respect
life and the rule of law.
Mr. Tolentino
• Anybody who says that these criminals deserves
human rights is an idiot! What about the victims
of these addicts who never stood a chance
against them? My daughter was raped and
murdered by addicts and they deserve to die in
the worst way possible. It’s about time that
these pieces of filth get what they deserve. If I
had my way, I would kill them all myself!
Mrs. Alonzo
• I am very distressed by this news! These drug
addicts are people too. My son is a drug addict
and we have been exerting every effort to help
him clean up and reform himself. But it is a very
hard process. I am afraid that one day I will hear
news that one of the drug addicts killed is my
son.
Analysis
• Upon reading opinions from different people,
what is the common topic they are talking?
• Who among the people, aforementioned, you
think had the same thought as you regarding the
topic? Why?
• What do those opinions differ from each other?
Why?
Abstraction:

Bias
and
Fallacy
 Bias
• These are personal views of the person presenting it.
• They are not necessarily errors, but refers to tendencies or influences
which affect the views of the people.
• It cannot be avoided through discussions or debate.
• It is important to be reminded that people engaging in conversation,
debate or even discussions should be aware of the personal biases
and have an open but critical attitude towards other views which
conflicts with their own.
• In figuring out biases, you have to look at the background of the
person who made statements.
The most common biases are enumerated
below:
Bias Characteristics Example
Correspondence bias or attribution Tendency to judge a person’s “These soldiers who fought the war
bias personality by his/her actions, are all bloodthirsty murderers!”
without regard for external factors
or influences
Confirmation Bias Tendency to look for and readily “How can I accept his view that
accept information which fits one’s there is no God? I am a Christian!”
own beliefs or views and to reject
ideas or views that go against it.
The most common biases are enumerated
below:
Bias Characteristics Example
Framing Focusing on a certain aspect of a Preliminary evidence has still not
problem while ignoring other pointed out the actual case of the
aspects. plane crash, but investigators are
currently focusing on the possibility
of pilot errors.
Hindsight The tendency to see past events as Magellan’s Assault on Mactan
predictable, or to ascribe a patterns Island was a foolhardy venture,
in historical events. made by an overconfident, careless
man who underestimated the valor
of the native Filipinos
The most common biases are enumerated
below:
Bias Characteristics Example
Conflict of interest A person or group is connected to As the daughter of the accused, I
or has vested interest in the issue believe I have the right to express
being discussed. my opinion on the issue of his
alleged corrupt practices.
Cultural Bias Analyzing an events or issue based I do no agree with this western
on one’s cultural standards practice of placing aged parents in
retirement homes. We Filipinos
take care of our family members.
 Fallacy
• These are arguments based on faulty reasoning.
• It is a type of error in reasoning that can make
argument appear convincing and sound, even though
it is flawed or logically incorrect.
• These statements are deceptive because they often
rely on faulty logic, emotional manipulation, or
misleading language to persuade people, rather than
presenting a valid and well-supported arguments.
These are examples of fallacies:
Fallacy Characteristics Example
Ad hominem Attacking the person presenting Of course he believes that the
the arguments instead of the government is flawed, he is a
argument itself. rebel and a communist!
Appeal to force Using the threat of force or an “if this peace agreement will
undesirable event to advance not be signed by the
an argument government, then we will have
no recourse but to go to war.”
Appeal to emotion Using emotions such as pity or All these charges are baseless;
sympathy this is just plain harassment –
can’t you see how this is
affecting my family?
These are examples of fallacies:
Fallacy Characteristics Example
Appeal to popular The idea is presented as Every boy at your age already
acceptable because a lot of has a girlfriend, you should go
people accept it. find one!
Appeal to tradition The idea is acceptable because Marriage should be between
it has been true for a long time man and a woman. It has been
so for a long time in this
country; it should remain so
today and in the future
Begging the question Assuming the thing or idea to I have the right to free speech,
be proven is true; also know as therefore you cannot stop me
“circular argument” from talking.
These are examples of fallacies:
Fallacy Characteristics Example
Cause-and-effect Assuming a “cause and effect” Ever since you brought that
relationship between unrelated sweater, everything has been
events going wrong in your life. You
should get rid of it.
Fallacy of composition Assuming that what is true of a These cases of robbery in this
part is true for the whole district have convinced me that
the city has become the den of
thieves and criminals.
Fallacy of division Assume that what is true for You come from a family of
the whole is true for its parts doctors and intellectuals! Surely
you can do better in this
course!
Application:
Enumeration:
Give at least 5 examples of biases.
Give at least 5 examples of fallacies.
Assignment:
• Define a person.