GROUP 1: HUMAN FREEDOM

WHAT IS FREEDOM? | LIBERTARIAN FREEWILL

In its broadest sense, freedom is the absence of constraint; it is the ability to think or act without external
control or restraint from others. It empowers rational beings to choose their thoughts and actions. This leads us
to the idea of free will – that our actions are freely chosen by ours. In the perspective of libertarians, actions are
caused by something within you, something internal. And something within you is definitely controllable by
you. So, if you have a free will, you are held morally responsible for your actions no matter the cause because
the fact that you commit the action means that you chose to do it.

WHAT IS DETERMINISM? | HARD DETERMINISM

What opposes the notion of freedom or free will is the concept of hard determinism which suggests that
everything, including human thought and action, is caused by something. This is a view that the world is
governed by the principle of cause-and-effect (causation). Hence, free choice is impossible. According to
determinists, what appears to be a “choice” is actually caused by something within you or outside of you that
you cannot control. There are two perspectives about determinism:
1. Causal Determinism – it is a view that all events are caused by past events. In religious aspects, God is
caused for all thing to happen.
2. Physical Determinism – it is a view that all physical things are causally determined. That means that our
body, which is physical, caused us to create certain thoughts and influence us to do certain actions.

ETHICAL CONCERNS ON HARD DETERMINISM

Freedom involves choice. However, the concept of determinism undercuts the human action of choosing
because an action always has one possible outcome. But why is choice valuable? Why are people concerned
about how determinism takes away the value of humanity when they are prevented to choose?
Jean Paul Sartre, a French philosopher, says that it is through choice that man lives an authentic life. If
human beings have no capacity to choose, which means they are determined, then this seems to reduce the value
and dignity of man, because it shows that man cannot control the situations around him. Humanity without the
capacity to choose is a pawn to whoever or what nature allows to happen. Ultimately, it implies that when man
cannot choose, he tends to believe that he cannot be made responsible for the choice he makes because his
actions are not from a deliberate act of choosing but a causal connection between events beyond his control. If
human beings are determined, life seems to be futile or even absurd, because they live to simply go with the
flow, with what the law of nature dictates. Whatever action they choose is not really a choice but what the
nature dictates. This is fatalism, a view that one is powerless to do anything that what he or she actually wants
to do.

ETHICAL CONCERNS ON FREEWILL

Freewill also have a fair share of ethical concerns. Come to think of it. If we believe that we responsible
for our actions, can we hold those who suffer from severe mental illness responsible for their actions? Like, if
there are people who suddenly had an unconventional behavior because they are experiencing extreme anxiety
or hallucinations, can we blame them? Can you blame a baby for pooping a lot on his/her diaper? Is it okay to
blame people for suddenly peeing their pants after seeing something that truly terrifies them? It appears there
are some actions we totally do not have control, and blaming someone for something they do not have control is
wrong.
However, libertarians believe that the actions came from within which means that no matter the
circumstance, we are free to choose.

CAN YOU RECONCILE FREE WILL AND DETERMINISM? | COMPATIBILISM

Freewill and determinism have their strengths and problems, and they merit our experiences. There are
many things in the universe that are caused or affected by past events, and are beyond someone’s control. But
there are controllable things as well such as some human actions. Some of the actions we take really are free.
This view is called compatibilism or soft determinism which states that everything is determined, but we can
call an action free when the determination comes from within ourselves. This view recognizes that some things
are definitely determined and some things are definitely our own choice if they are self-determined or
determined by causes internal to ourselves. By this perspective, you can be held morally responsible for some
actions, not all, not none. External causes of actions are definitely determined. Internal causes are definitely
our choice.

PUZZLING PROBLEM OF COMPATIBILISM

If your actions are determined within you, can you really call those as your own? Isn’t it that your
personality, mindset, attitude, and worldview (things that are within you) are shaped by your surroundings such
as parents, friends, school, among others? If someone tries to convince you to get high on drugs, isn’t it that
your decision will be affected by what has been taught to you about drugs or how you see others respond to
drugs? Can we separate external cause from internal causes? What if internal causes are caused by external, can
we still consider it as our choice? In other words, it appears that there are some cases that free will and
determinism are not compatible.
In the context of religion, many Christians believe in divine destiny and at the same time they are
granted freedom by God. Isn’t it impossible for you to have freedom if God has determined your future? If you
took a different path, something that God did not plan for you, isn’t it stripping away God’s omniscience and
committing sin since you proved that God is wrong about your future?

DEGREE OF CONTROL AND MORAL RESPONSBILITY FOR ACTIONS

If we can’t separate internal and external causes, maybe the answer is simply to say that actions are
“more or less free.” And how free they are depends on how many internal factors are influencing us, and how
many external, and how much control we have over what we do. This is the view taken by contemporary
Canadian-American philosopher Patricia Churchland. Churchland points out that, as social animals, we can’t
help but hold people accountable, and assign either praise or blame for their actions. But it also makes sense to
think about how much, or how little, someone is in control of their actions, when assigning praise or blame.
After all, some actions are definitely beyond our control- like sneezing. So, I won’t blame you for sneezing,
because you can’t really control that. But I definitely will blame you for sneezing on my lunch, because you do
have some control over where you sneeze. Likewise, I might blame you less for rude behavior when you’ve
been drinking, as opposed to when you’re sober, but I probably wouldn’t let you completely off the hook,
because, at least under normal circumstances, you had control over your decision to drink.
So, Churchland says, asking “Am I free?” is really the wrong question. Instead, we should be asking,
“How much control do I have?” And the more control we have, the more responsibility we also have. This
view lets us keep what we know about the deterministic nature of the universe, while also making sense of our
subjective feeling of freedom. So really feeling “free” really means “having control”.
We know disturbances in the brain can undermine our control, from seizures and tics to the pedophilic
impulse that developed in the brain tumor patient. But we also know that our brains can be trained to develop
control over many aspects of our behavior. Like the way you used to pee whenever your bladder was full, but
now you’re able to control when and where you pee. this means that we can choose to develop stronger levels
of control over many of our actions, which is what we do when we work to break a bad habit, or ingrain a good
one.
GROUP 2: FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY

ACTIONS VS ACTS OF MAN

An act that is performed only by a human being and thus is proper to man. Not every act that a human being does is a
distinctively human act. Some acts that human beings do are performed also by animals, e.g., vegetative acts and acts of
perception and emotion. When a human being does such acts, they are called acts of man but not human acts. Acts of man are
actions shared by humans and other animals while human acts refer to the appropriate actions of human beings. What makes an
act performed by a human being distinctively a human act is that it is voluntary, that is, an act in some way under the control or
direction of the will, which is proper to man. One can therefore identify the human activity with the voluntary act. A voluntary
act continues either by the will - like an act of love or choice - or from another human power that may be motivated by the will,
either by an act of intellect or by the sense of reasoning or emotion; even a gesture commanded by the will can be a voluntary
act.

Aristotle’s Distinction of Voluntary and Involuntary Actions

Voluntary Actions - these are acts originating from the individual performing the act using knowledge about the situations of
the act.

1. Classifications of Voluntary Actions

 A. Voluntary – actions are performed from will and reason.

 B. Related to Compulsion - it is considered as mixed of voluntary and involuntary. It is more voluntary if the desire and
choice has been performed and involuntary if it has considered preferences or alternatives. Example: You are asked to
perform a crime and your options are; either you do it and your family survives, or you don’t do it but they will be
murdered.

2. Involuntary Actions – are acts done under a) force or coercion and b). ignorance where the doer failed to understand the
effect and feels sorry on the result.

Classifications of Involuntary Actions

 1. Under Compulsion – circumstances which are beyond the control of the agent and contributes none to the action.
Example: A person was kidnapped, hence impossible to resist.

 2. Through Ignorance of Particular Circumstances. Example: a man steals and ignorant of the law, arrow or gun shot by
mistake.

HUMAN FREEDOM AND OBLIGATION

According to John Mothershead, freedom and obligation are two indispensable conditions for morality to occur.
Freedom is understood to be present when one is choosing a course of action, and he or she is taking full responsibility for
consequence of his actions. Importantly, this is anchored to the individual’s moral and rational capacity to discern what is right
and wrong.
In several meta-ethical traditions obligation usually follows or arrives from freedom. Freedom can be said to be present
if the human person is free in making choices in the realm of morality – that is, in making choices with regards to determining
what is the right thing to do in situations and circumstances in his own life. This can be summarized in our Filipino saying,
“Buntot mo, hila mo!” It is taking full responsibility for your actions and being obliged to do so. Hence, an action is not in the
full extent of morality if a person does something while his or her freedom and rationality is altered or modified. This event can
happen if the person’s environment highly affects his judgement.
When was the last time you see yourself escaping from the consequences of your actions? When was the last time you
hide from the problems brought about by your irresponsible actions? We have the tendency to blame others for their choice of a
course of action. At present times, several marriages – most especially in the Philippines – are being brought to different courts
of law to be annulled. What is the main reason for this? Atty. Jim Lopez in one of his books says that most of the marriages
which are tried in civil courts are sagas of unending throwing of blame and accusations between two lovers. Which can be
simply be solved had one of the parties make himself accountable for a problem which sit between them.

INTELLECTUAL CHOICE VS PRACTICAL CHOICE

 A. Intellectual Choice – This is a choice which is deliberately selected based on a moral standpoint. Basically, they are
normative answers about what we ought to do from a moral system that we uphold and its moral principles. These
normative answers would take into consideration the behavior which the society will accept. For example, when you
are to decide in a moral issue, you can try to give intellectual choice as a normative answer. Here you are simply
assuming because you are not, as it were, facing that actual moral situation described in the dilemma. In this case, the
answers that you are inclined to give are prescriptive in this imaginary and hypothetical situation.

 B. Practical Choice – a choice which is borne out of psychological and emotional considerations. Unlike the
previously discussed type of choice, practical choices are made when confronted with the actual situation, and usually
affected by psychological aspect of the person embroiled in the moral situation or dilemma. For instance, psychological
and emotional stress and lack of time to deliberate during an actual moral situation may affect a person’s moral
 decision in that situation. A person may be so engulfed by emotions that he may sometimes fail to make the right
choice. Likewise, stress could make a person’s practical choice inconsistent with his intellectual choice.

GROUP 3: FREEDOM OF HUMAN PERSON

What is Freedom?
 The ability to make choices and perform those choices.
 The ability to be what we want and to decide and create oneself.

Two concepts that will help us fully understand freedom:

1. Freedom itself. According to Merriam Dictionary, it is the quality or state of being free. It is our capacity to choose of
what we wanted and an inner awareness of what is right and wrong that is traced to our free will according to Aristotle. It
is also an intrinsic and an essential property of a human person which basically means, it is a part of our human nature.

2. Free will. Our free will allows us to decide on things we do depending on the situation. It is our ability to choose
between two different possible courses of action, independently. Simply put it, free will is our ability to choose things
according to our moral reasoning.

To sum it all, our freedom then could trace down in a person’s exercise of his rationality/intellect and free will.
Simply that individual actions as it is freely chosen by an individual it then defines who and what kind of person one is.
We all are free to choose, to be good person and act on it accordingly or be a bad person and act in a bad way. As our
actions and choices reflects us doing what is good and acting on it is what makes you a good person while on the other
hand doing the negative will also give a negative impression to an individual. This has been tackled on the previous lesson
that self-determination or the ability to choose on what is right and wrong, that a person’s action determines what kind of
person he or she becomes.

KINDS OF FREEDOM
1. Physical Freedom. Physical freedom refers to the absence of any physical restraint. The person has the freedom of
mobility to go where he or she wants to go. He or she is not impeded in his or her actions by any physical force. Granted
that the person has natural limitations, physical freedom enables him or her to act and move in determined manner. You
cannot be everywhere at once, but your freedom allows you to move one place to another and to go whenever you want to
go.

2. Psychological Freedom. Psychological freedom is also called freedom of choice. The person is free to perform actions
that he or she considers right and wise. A person is also free to act or not to act. Psychological freedom is innate and
cannot be denied to a person. No outside force or influence can compel a person to take action against his or her will.

3. Moral Freedom. Moral freedom refers to using freedom in a manner that upholds human dignity and goodness.
Freedom is not an object that a person may use in whatever way he or she pleases. A person must use his or her freedom
to grow as a person. A person becomes freer when he or she uses freedom well but becomes less free when he or she uses
it in a wicked way. Humans have a natural inclination for what is right and moral, and when a person uses his or her
freedom to do acts that violates human dignity and goodness, he or she dehumanizes himself or herself and effectively
negates human freedom.

Elements of Freedom
1. Voluntariness. It is the ability of a person to act of his or her own free will and self-determination. A person may
decide to do things or not to do it according to his own free will. It also means that even though she/he is not required to
do such things he/she could still do it or take action on it. Voluntary acts are free acts which can be assigned a
corresponding moral value.
One must always remember that in every action we make, in every choice we make there is an equivalent
consequence. These consequences affect not just the individual who does the decision but also other people in their
surroundings. With that, one must always accept the consequences that results from his or her decisions or actions and
take responsibility for them.
2. Responsibility. Responsibility refers to the person being accountable for his or her action and their consequences.
Taking responsibility can mean either you take responsibility to your action voluntarily or other people will hold you
responsible. For example, if you made a bad action it’s either you take responsibility of it or other people will hold you
responsible for it.

There are important factors to consider in the exercise of freedom. These are Prudence and Self-reflection.
 Prudence is the ability to govern and discipline oneself with the use of reason; it is having caution and giving
good judgments in making decisions. Because once we made a decision there is no turning back, there is no
rewind, so we should always reflect first on the possible outcomes of the choices that we are going to make. Self-
reflection is very important in exercising freedom.
  Self-reflection allows us to be more rational in making choices, because sometimes human beings tend to be
slaves by their emotions and moods whenever they act certain things. As free beings, exercising our freedom
responsibly is very important. Thus, it requires us to reflect on the actions that we are going to make by
considering its possible effects and the benefits it has to the people affected by it.


Exercising Freedom

Freedom should be exercised with regard for knowledge and truth.

As a rational being, it is natural for us to think before we act. We use our freedom to acquire knowledge, which
in turn are useful in making right and sound decisions essential in dealing with our life situations.

Example:
To correctly answer a multiple-choice item in an examination, a student has to study his/her lessons. Otherwise,
he/she cannot answer the test.

We should also be equipped with the ability to acquire information and truthful knowledge because it will aid us
in making wise and informed choices.

Freedom should be exercised to uphold the freedom of others.

Freedom is recognized and guaranteed right for all persons. Meaning, freedom should be enjoyed by all. But it is
important to remember that freedom should be exercised not as a tool to restrict the freedom of others, but as a means
to enable others to fully enjoy their own freedom.

Example:
A teacher doing his/her class discussion under the Narra tree instead of having it inside the classroom. You
shared your hard-earned money to cater the needs of your friend who is in dire needs of it for the realization of his/her
school project.
GROUP 4: HUMAN PERSON AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Humanity’s relationship with the Environment

There are major views that discuss the relationship between humanity and the environment. The distinction of the views are disclose
in the table below:

BASIS ANTHROPOCENTRIS ANTHROPOCENTRIS ANTHROPOCENTRIS

Focus Significance of humankind in the All organisms have inherent value It values ecosystem and
world. and should be protected. biological communities.
Human persons are part of greater
Human persons are the most important Human persons are not the only biological system or community.
Human Person species on the planet. significant species on the planet. Their significant role is as
They are free to transform nature and steward or guardians of nature.
use its resources.
Order and balance in nature
brings about stability and beauty.
All biological organisms interact
Nature as the means by which humans Ethical treatment of animals. with each other and each
Nature are able to meet their organism
needs. occupies a significant place
within an ecosystem.
Philosophical views such as
“Deep Ecology” and “Gaia
R.A. 8485 “The Animal Welfare Hypothesis” emphasize the
Measure Act of 1998” provides the rights of important role of interaction
the animals to be treated kindly. between the living and non-living
components of the environment.

One important development that arose during the late twentieth century was environmentalism. This perspective advocates on
addressing the growing environmental problems and responsive environmental awareness and action. Several ideas and perspectives
regarding environmental action has emerged. One of the important views from environmentalism is a philosophical view called
environmental ethics.
Environmental ethics is a discipline of philosophy that studies moral relationship of human being with the environment and
its non-human contents. Environmental philosophers focus on issues such as humanity’s role in the natural world, the interaction
between nature and human activities, and humanities response to environmental challenges. Philosophers believe that persons have
special relationship with nature and possess the ability to change the environment for their needs and purposes. Persons differ from
other organisms that merely exist to perform biological functions as part of ecosystem. As a person, it is our responsibility to start with
our own actions and how it affects our immediate environment.

Humanity addresses environmental challenges.

Human person is a rational being capable of understanding the laws which govern nature and transforming the world. This
capacity permeates human person to “access” nature. Firstly, a person may opt to treat the environment as a source of raw materials
for consumption or in any way as he or she pleases. Secondly, a person may view environment as something that envelops and
surrounds creating a special and unique relationship with him or her. Lastly, a person has an incomparable ability of cultivating nature,
bringing it closer to their intended ends. This implies while gaining sustenance from it, persons can help the environment amplify its
task .
Human persons thrive best in an orderly environment. Disorder can give rise to several problems and challenges to
humankind. Disorder can be brought by sudden changes in nature. Natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions
and landslides result minor or major damage to property, injuries, and even loss of lives. Everyday activities were disrupted in all
forms of communities. In addition, there are man-made disorders in the environment like deforestation, pollution such as smog, acid
rain, contamination of water, destruction of corals, overfishing and other similar activities.
Environmental ethics upholds the welfare of the environment and everything in it. Its core ideas include; firstly, all
nonhuman elements of the world, including animals and natural resources, have intrinsic value and should be preserved, secondly, the
preservation of the environment will benefit humans by providing for the needs of present and future generations and lastly,
humankind has responsibility to safeguard the planet as stewards of creation. Apart from individual action such as initiative to tidy up
your room or clean your house, environmentalism also encourages institutions, organizations and corporations to be involved in
responsible activities for the environment. Handful of environmental problems we experience, such as pollution, deforestation, and
loss of natural resources are caused by mining, logging companies, factories, business and many others. But an important part of
environmentalism is the collective actions spearheaded by environmental groups that call attentions to environmental problems and
environmental abuse.
Environmental justice promotes equitable and active involvement of communities and governments in addressing
environmental challenges such as global warming, greenhouse effect, climate change and others. Also, it calls for fair distribution of
environmental benefits. Environmental aesthetics is a philosophical view that adheres maintaining order of the environment will bring
out the natural beauty of the surroundings and contribute to the well-being of the people and other organisms living in it. Hence,
persons who appreciate the natural beauty of environment relate more effectively with nature.

Advocacy on Environmentalism and care for nature

 Environmentalists consider the best means for humanity to take action and uphold its mission as stewards of future is
sustainability.
Sustainability or Sustainable Development is one of the major concepts that drives environmentalism. It focuses on reconciling human
activities and economic development with the protection of the environment. One of the major ideas of sustainability is that we must
make wise decisions regarding the use of natural resources to ensure that there is still enough left for future use.

The three important principles of Sustainability are Environmental Integrity, Economic Efficiency and Equity.
Environmental Integrity refers to maintaining the state of environment. This means that human activity should not truly disrupt the
ecosystems and human communities located in the area. Economic Efficiency refers to prudence in decision-making regarding the use
of resources to ensure that there is minimum to zero waste. Equity demands that we use our natural resources in such manner that
these are conserved so that the next generation will be able to use them.
The values of prudence and frugality can guide us in our own personal use of resources. Prudence is the ability to regulate
one’s action and behavior. Meanwhile, frugality is being thrifty with the use of one’ resources. Robert Abella throws a challenge of
reflecting on how you have been using resources at home and in school, “How will you apply prudence and frugality in implementing
changes to become a wiser and more considerate consumer? And How can these values guide you in addressing environmental
problems in your home, school and community?”
Robert Abella said that as human persons, it is our responsibility to treat with respect not only our fellow humans, but also
everything in our world. Upholding environmentalism and sustainability will enable us to take first steps in addressing environmental
issues and contribute to solving the greater environmental challenge like climate change.
GROUP 5: HUMAN PERSON AND SOCIETY

What is society? What inspires human beings to establish societies?

Relationships that we experienced in our lives depend on the level

of our experience. For example, when we were yet a child, we always
depended on our family. As we grow older, we start to go with people in the
community, from there, we began to relate ourselves with our opposite sex.
In our doing such, we exercised our freedom to do what we want to do. We
are capable of establishing society by way of our different relationships with
other people such as friendships, alliances or union sharing common
territory. Our relationships with other people caused u s to survive. We
survive because of our parents, our friends and even our neighbours may it
be in school or in the workplace. The education we have starts from our
home. Our parents taught us everything they also learned starting from
talking, reading and writing, even values, good manners and right conduct.
Simple household jobs. This education will continue when we go to school.
When we finish our education, we are already equipped with abilities, skills
and knowledge for us to become productive members of the society.
Therefore, society helps us grow as a better person.

Types of societies and each characteristic.

TYPE OF SOCIETY CHARACTERISTIC

This form of society is recognized as the earliest and the simplest;

basically small and composed mostly of families. They are nomadic,
HUNTING AND GATHERING meaning, they kept on transferring from one place to another to look for
food, thus, they do not have permanent houses. Men are tasked to hunt large
SOCIETY animals while women are tasked in the collection of vegetables and other
crops.
This form of society is characterized by the raising (alaga) of animals to
PASTORAL SOCIETY supply their food especially in the regions of the world where vegetable
growing is not possible. They also engage in buying and selling of goods
with other groups.
This form of society engages in the growing of plants, fruits and
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY vegetables. In this society, there is enough food supply. Some members of
the society also engage in making crafts and buying and selling of goods.
This form of society grows rice and other crops. They also began to
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY farm and raise animals for food. They lived permanently and improved the
technology for farming. Money became a form of exchange for goods and
services.
FEUDAL SOCIETY It is a form of society in which the ruler or lord owned all the land
while the farmers or laborers farmed it.
This society used machineries in the production of goods and services.
INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY Through innovations and technological advances, daily activities become
easier and the lives of the people become better.
Also known as the virtual (computer) society, people use technology
POST-INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY and the Internet to communicate, to engage in business and access different
information that can be if used to deal with daily activities.

How does society influence our development as persons?

As members of the society, we learn, we interact, we exercise our freedom and we follow common beliefs,
traditions and norms or standards. Norms are set of traits and behavior that society considers good and acceptable. The
society expects us to behave the way it is used to. When we do not obey to the established norms, then we experience
punishments for not doing so. Moreover, laws are made to provide us proper guidelines to sustain peace and order.
Violation of the law means punishment. On the other hand, folkways are traditional in nature and do not result in
punishment if not followed.
 The person and society are inseparable. One cannot exist without the other. It is a two-way relationship that binds
both the person and the society for growth and development. We have our own individual assigned social roles in the
society. Social roles are set of connected behaviors expected to a certain person. Individuals with common or similar roles
are grouped together to form social groups and eventually the different social groups would become social institutions
that include our family, school, government among others.

GROUP 6: HUMAN PERSON AND DEATH

Phenomenological Notion of Death

According to Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) in his book Being and Time, death is (a) certain, (b)
indefinite, (c) one’s property, (d) non-relational, and (e) not to be outstripped.

 Death is certain. As part of humanness, we are all born (in Heideggerian sense, we are “thrown”) in the
world. The world is governed by time. We, humans, are existing in time, thus, as being thrown in the
world, we have beginning and since we are finite beings, we also have end – death. Birth and death are
two things we cannot remove from our existence. Whether we like it or not, we will die.
 Death is indefinite. While death is sure to come, it is however indefinite as to when it will come. Death
is impending, meaning to say, it can happen anytime. We do not know exactly when. That is why, we
should try to live the best life that we can for we never know the day of our end.
 Death is one’s property. The death of the person belongs to him. Nobody can experience his death
except himself. There can be no proxies or substitutes for a person in experiencing death.
 Death is non-relational. This means that when we die, we die alone. We have no choice but to face it
on our own. Death also removes all our relations to others. In contemplating death, we realize our own
individuality and independence from the world.
 Death is not to be outstripped. Death cannot be taken away from a person. Even the person himself
cannot remove the possibility of death in his life. One cannot make himself live forever. Even though we
see in fiction movies the idea of immortality, death, in real life is a definite reality which we nothing can
be done to be outstripped.

Death and Authenticity

What does death really mean? Is it just a reminder that human existence has a limitation? We may
accept the reality of death as it is, but it also reminds us that we have to value life while we have it.
Since we cannot control it, things that remain within our control are those which belong to life. While
still alive, we have choices to take. The question now is not focused on death but on how we live in the world.
Let us ask ourselves before we die. Did we ever truly live?
Authenticity is an idea mostly used in existentialism which means having true and meaningful existence.
According to Soren Kierkegaard, we have to avoid the crowd – the majority of the society which we think that
should be the pattern of our lives. For example, we see people marrying, therefore, we also have to marry. But
authenticity is not like that. We have to freely choose marrying. The intention to marry should not come from
the crowd as we usually hear but it should come from our deliberate choice.
Another reason why we fail to lead an authentic life is fear. Just because we are afraid of the possible
consequences and what others might say, we fail to pursue what we truly want in life. This challenge of
authenticity is one of the important messages of death. As we accept death, we realize the value of having a true
life – an authentic life!
GROUP 7: MEANINGFU LIFE

Have you ever wondered about how nothing seems to last forever? Objects get worn out, food and drinks get expired,
and even trends become outdated after some time. Even more, what about the cycle of being born, growing up, getting old,
being sick and dying? These go to one very important reality at some point of our human condition; we are temporal beings
which means that we are human beings oriented towards impending death.

Surely, the very thought of death and the mystery surrounding it have caused a lot of grief and anxiety to a person. You
may certainly feel that thinking about death at this point of your life is a bit inappropriate or unnecessary since you are still
young and you still have your whole life ahead of you. Thus, the idea makes you a bit uncomfortable but then it is an essential
element in the human condition which definitely deserves attention. Only in reflecting on the reality of death can we begin to
explore and understand the meaning of our own and very existence.

#YOLO (You Only Live Once) Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.

In the essence that we, humans are oriented towards our impending death, this concept has given rise to such various
expressions being mentioned above. Commonly, death is understood as the end of bodily functions which signals the end of a
person’s life. It also refers to the separation of the body and the spirit. The human person is an embodied spirit. The body, being
material, is subject to growth, death, and decay. While the spirit, being immaterial, will continue to exist even after the body has
passed.
Accepting the fact that we are persons facing the reality of death allows us to determine the course of our actions and of
our entire life. Thus, the essence of freedom is self-determination which refers to the capacity to choose and act for oneself. For
instance, a person cannot stop the natural bound law of growing old, however, he/she can choose to embrace aging gracefully
by taking pride in their gray hair, wrinkles, and the fact of having grandchildren. But others might take a different path and use
any means to mask their physical aging by getting cosmetic surgery and having “age-defying” treatments.

Ultimately, we must embrace the fact that death is an integral part of our life so that once we have come in good terms
with that inevitable aspect of being human, we can focus not just on the quantifiable aspects of life (e.g. possessions, luxurious
years) but also on its quality. It can give us clearer purpose and focus on our daily activities. Since we cannot do everything in
our lifetime, we must be able to reflect on what we need to do and identify the goals we need to achieve so we can say that we
have lived in a meaningful existence.

Realizing Positive Life Goals

What brings you happiness? Is it the food you eat? The clothes you wear? The gadgets you own? The achievements
you reap? The moments you share with your loved ones? Whatever it is, you feel something good and pleasurable.

Happiness is a state of being, not just an emotional experience or a chosen mental attitude. In fact, we do not choose
happiness, happiness is always there, and we just choose the means/path to achieve it. We consider the sources of happiness as
something that is good for us. That good has three kinds:
● Noble good is one which is pursued for its own sake; it is good in itself. For example: love and friendship.
● Useful good is considered good as long as it serves as a means to an end; its goodness is found only from what it can provide.
For example, money.
● Pleasurable good provides some form of pleasure, though it doesn’t have to be physical. For example, a trip to favorite
places.

However, you should always remember that happiness from a material thing slowly fades away as soon as you have it.
Meanwhile, happiness formed by friendship only grows as it progresses. Happy moments with people precious to you are
priceless. Thus, do not be blinded by earthly living and live a meaningful life for real happiness can be found in more permanent
and meaningful things.

On the other hand, negative experiences are also part of our lives. Suffering takes place when we patiently endure
unpleasantness, discomfort, and pain. It comes in the form of physical suffering (e.g. physical sensations such as discomfort,
hunger, distress, homelessness, and pain from an injury, disease, or even lack of basic needs) and mental suffering (e.g.
emotional and mental states such as depression, anxiety, fear, loneliness, and grief). Disappointments and rejections in life may
also be a cause of suffering. More often, we normally experience adversities in life and how we deal with them is determined by
our mindset regarding suffering. After all, without pain and suffering, we are unable to grow and improve to become wiser and
tougher. Thus, our positive experiences might lose meaning and significance without the recognizance of one’s suffering and
difficulties in life.
GROUP 8: INTERSUBJECTIVITY

Accepting Differences

Important values related to intersubjectivity include acceptance of differences and embracing diversity. We understand
that each person is unique, therefore, differences will exist among groups of people. When we look at physical traits and even
behavior, we can see that no two persons look and think the same. We have to accept that people have different views and
beliefs. What unites us all is our shared HUMANITY and DIGNITY.
The recognition of our shared humanity and dignity is what drives us to extend assistance and act with concern towards
others, especially towards individuals or groups that experience hardships and discrimination. For instance, those who are
physically and mentally challenged often experience hardships because of their condition. Despite their limitations, many of
them have successfully transcended their disabilities to become
productive and happy individuals.

Accepting Others
The interaction between the self and the other is related to the philosophical concept of INTERSUBJECTIVITY
which is the mutual recognition of each other as persons. As humans, we have the natural and universal tendency to relate, to
establish attachments and seek close relationship with other people. Our human nature drives us to reach out to other people and
interact with them in meaningful ways.

Through our interactions with others we understand how and why people think and act the way they do, thus, we notice
how different we are from each other.

Intersubjectivity looks at others as rooted within the self; it is safe to say that this concept also promotes a view that all
people are equal. This would imply that people from other sectors of society, such as those who have physical disabilities or
socio-economic challenges are seen as individuals with the same potential and talents as anybody else.

Everyone has the power to understand relationships and interactions that occur in the society with little regard to social
or physical differences. In effect, people who are marginalized may still be seen as significant contributors to society through
their talents, skills, and capabilities.

Appreciating People with Disabilities

INTERSUBJECTIVITTY is a condition of man, a subject, among other men, who are also subjects. It refers to the
shared awareness and understanding among persons. It is made possible by the awareness of self and the other.

A DIALOGUE is an interaction between persons that happens through speech or the use of words, expressions, and
body language. It occurs when two persons “open up” to each other, give, and receive one another in their encounter. Genuine
dialogue occurs when persons are willing to share themselves with one another. The awareness of each other’s presence as a
true person is defined by the acceptance of each other’s uniqueness and differences.

For Martin Buber, an Australian-born Israeli Jewish Philosopher, human intersubjectivity is a true encounter through
the three spheres of dialogue that “I” engages in. The I-THOU is the encounter between man and man where language is
exchanged and is described as always mutual, real, and direct; it is an evidence of the reality of human intersubjectivity through
language.

The human person is oriented toward relation and sharing in the communal life for the common good.
Intersubjectivity has significant contributions to society and relationships, including the following:
 It validates real and authentic subjective experiences.
 It facilitates interaction among individuals.
 It enables individuals to look at others equally, regardless of any physical or sociodemographic factor.
 It promotes a sense of community and unity among individuals.
 It emphasizes that anyone can contribute to society.