The Essential Characteristics of Human Persons
THE ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN PERSONS
Part One: In Relation to Our Selves
1. As human persons, we have INTELLECT and FREE WILL.
a. We can grasp, recognize, and appreciate truth and goodness. b. We can reason and decide freely. c. We can choose among options: either to work for or to disregard truth and goodness. • Parents who push their children to take up nursing despite children’s capacity for higher learning, say, medicine, computer engineering, law—and all in view of earning more money and living abroad.
d. We are conscious beings, with the capacity to self-reflect. We are driven not by mere instincts, but by intelligence and the power of choice. • St. Thomas’ graduation of being: Stone – “simple plants” (that is, single-celled organisms that live to simply feed) – Plants (that live to feed and produce energy) – Animals (that live to feed, produce energy, protect themselves, play, all through instinct) – Humans (that feed, produce, protect themselves, and think and reflect. To re-flect means to have the capacity to be aware that one is thinking, that one is be-ing.) • Seeing food – then eating it, all the time, without thinking! Seeing a sexy body – then masturbating as soon as you’re alone, without thinking! (Not using one’s power of choice and being ruled by instinct is animalistic living!)
e. Implications: Because of our intellect and free will --
i. We have the inalienable right to free expression, to information, to education, to assembly, to worship, and to collective action, to seek truth and to act in freedom.
• How many of you send their maids to school? Allow their maids to go to Church on Sundays? • Martial Law; Filipino government poor in informing us about results of Ninoy investigation, Erap inquest, Arroyo tapes; Churches should keep parishioners informed where their collected money is going, etc.
ii. With freedom comes responsibility. (This will be discussed
Part One: In Relation to Our Selves
1. As human persons, we have INTELLECT and FREE WILL.
a. We can grasp, recognize, and appreciate truth and goodness. b. We can reason and decide freely. c. We can choose among options: either to work for or to disregard truth and goodness. • Parents who push their children to take up nursing despite children’s capacity for higher learning, say, medicine, computer engineering, law—and all in view of earning more money and living abroad.
d. We are conscious beings, with the capacity to self-reflect. We are driven not by mere instincts, but by intelligence and the power of choice. • St. Thomas’ graduation of being: Stone – “simple plants” (that is, single-celled organisms that live to simply feed) – Plants (that live to feed and produce energy) – Animals (that live to feed, produce energy, protect themselves, play, all through instinct) – Humans (that feed, produce, protect themselves, and think and reflect. To re-flect means to have the capacity to be aware that one is thinking, that one is be-ing.) • Seeing food – then eating it, all the time, without thinking! Seeing a sexy body – then masturbating as soon as you’re alone, without thinking! (Not using one’s power of choice and being ruled by instinct is animalistic living!)
e. Implications: Because of our intellect and free will --
i. We have the inalienable right to free expression, to information, to education, to assembly, to worship, and to collective action, to seek truth and to act in freedom.
• How many of you send their maids to school? Allow their maids to go to Church on Sundays? • Martial Law; Filipino government poor in informing us about results of Ninoy investigation, Erap inquest, Arroyo tapes; Churches should keep parishioners informed where their collected money is going, etc.
ii. With freedom comes responsibility. (This will be discussed