A student's personal philosophical workbook exploring concepts of personhood, embodiment, and social responsibility through reflective essays and exercises.
This is a student workbook for the subject Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person, authored by Edrian Legislador under teacher Ms. Elena J. Qiurante. It presents personal reflections and philosophical exercises on what it means to be a human person, intended for senior high school students studying the topic.
The workbook opens with a personal profile where the author describes their values-fairness, friendship, responsibility-and their vision to become a teacher who imparts both academic lessons and moral values. A reflection section explores the author's evolving sense of self as a dynamic intersection of physical presence, memories, choices, relationships, and hopes.
Unit 1, titled 'I Exist in the World,' discusses embodiment-the idea that human consciousness and identity are inseparable from the physical body. It introduces Aristotle's concept of Zoon logon (rational animal) and the Filipino concept of Pagkatao (personhood and moral character), illustrated with an example of a community nurse.
The workbook then distinguishes between human being and personhood, explaining that every human person deserves inherent dignity and respect. It includes a decision-making exercise about sharing an unverified rumor online, weighing choices and consequences to demonstrate the relationship between freedom and responsibility.
An identity collage section uses personal experiences-covering a school board press conference, reviewing school paper drafts, and sketching in a park-to show how embodiment anchors identity. Unit 2, 'No Person Exists Alone,' introduces concepts like Zoon politikon, Pagkamakatao, solidarity, empathy, and the common good, with a 'Three Circles of Care' exercise mapping meaningful relationships.
The final section discusses how institutions can promote or threaten human dignity, examining their role in protecting rights, ensuring equitable access to resources, and fostering inclusive communities versus perpetuating corruption and oppression.