The Human Person

in Society

Describe yourself in relation to the following. Complete the following statements.

In my family, I am the...

My family has made me...

In my school, I consider myself...

My school has helped me become...

In my community, I am a...

My community has enabled me to...

1. How has your family defined your identity as a person?

2. In what way has your school and community influenced your
growth?
3. In what way do you see yourself making a significant contribution
to society?
 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

Let's Embark
...................
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
1. recognize how individuals form societies and how individuals are transformed
by societies;
2. compare different forms of societies and individualities;
3. explain how human relations are transformed by social systems; and . .
4. evaluate how social systems transform human relationships, and how societies
transform individual human beings.

Inquire and Discover

...........................
[Link] society? What drives human beings to establish societies?
Have you ever pondered how your world has defined you? [Link] ever thought
about your place in this world and among the people you interact with every day? Have
you ever reflected on how your prese_nce has affected the·world and people around you?
The human person exists to relate with others. The person is by nature a social
being because he or she has a tendency to go out of himself or herself to form bonds
and relationships with others. Throughout a person's life, he or she experiences a variety
of relationships that help shape him or her as a person. Infants first relate with their
immediate family and guardians as the source of basic needs. As they grow, they expand
their horizons and start relating with people who are not part of their immediate family.
They establish friendships beginning in their childhood and into their teenage and adult
years. 'They also learn how to deal with other figures of authority aside from their parents
or guardians. As we grow into adulthood, our relationships and responsibilities also
change because we play more significant roles in the communities we live in.
 lesson 7: The Human Person in Society

to achieve our
Our freedo m gives us the oppor tunity to pursu e variou s activities
d our experiences,
goals and attain well-b eing or happi ness. As we live our lives and expan
ver, the pursu it of
we also encou nter other peopl e who are acting in similar ways. Howe
activities alone, that we
our goals is made easier by the fact that we do not need to do our
side.
can live our life and pursu e our happi ness with other peopl e by our
s. Other anima ls
The tende ncy to form group s is not exclusive to huma n being
howe ver, are the onl y
also form group s for mutua l protec tion and survival. Huma ns,
groul?.. of o e ~ h~ se
beings capab le of establ ishing a socie ty, whi_s:h i; an org,..~~ized 4

cult ure. Society also

memb ers intera ct freque ntly and have a comm on territo ry and
alliance, a comm unity,
refers to a comp anion ship or friend ly associ ation with others , an
or a union .
individuals who
Philos opher s consid er societ y the produ ct of deliberate action s by
ered uniqu e amon g all
come togeth er in pursu it of a 5-omm on goal. Society is consid
ose it, as well as the
other group s becau se of the nature of the hum an person s that comp
,,-;;
 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

relationships amon g its mem bers. As individual perso ns,

mem bers of socie ty are abl_e to
transform themselves and attai n developm ent throu gh
their inter actio ns with in society.
In turn, huma ns are also able to influe nce society throu
gh their actio ns.
· y a1so ma k·es possi·
Soc1et ble the emergence o t· certa 111
· 111· d.1v1·d ua1·1t1es.
· The survi val .of
a huma n being is essentially roote d in society and huma
n relations. If there is no family
to take care of an infan t, the infant will even
tually die. As the individual grow s, he ~r
she begin s to.e>..l)erie nce life outside the home and begin
s to inter act with othe r peop le m
different settings. This also leads the perso n to form othe
r\relationships or grou ps, such
as establishin g friendships in school or at places of work
. Society and its vario us aspec ts
prov ide supp ort that ensures the development of the huma
n perso n. For inSt ance , your
education first starts at home with your family members
teach ing you the rudim ents of
speech, readi ng, and writing. This education continues and
is furth er deve loped as you go
to scho ol and interact with othe r children, your teachers,
and othe r peop le in scho ol. Whe n
you fir~ish your basic education , society has already equip
ped you with know ledge and skills
that enable you to effectively inter act with your society
as a prod uctiv e indiv idual . Soci ety
also prov ides you oppo rtuni ties to furth er your grow th
in the comi ng years. An eyid ent
influence of society on individuals is the emergence of
specific traits and chara cteri stics
uniq ue to a certa in society whic h are manifested by its mem
b_ers. For exam ple, we Filip inos
value our ties with family mem bers. This is seen in our pract
ice of takin g care of our elder ly
family members. Many of us prefer to have our elders
live in our hom es so we can take
care of them directly and continue to interact with them
. West ern coun tries , how ever ,
give more emphasis on independence and individuality
rathe r than family ties. Ther efore ,
it is a comm on practice for West ern fa milie s to send their
elderly to retir emen t hom es. In
West ern cultu re, parents also expect their children to move
out of their hom es once they
have gradu ated from high school. Filipino parents, on the
othe r hand , conti nue to supp ort
their child ren and even allow them to live with them even
into adult hood .

THE SOCIAL CON TRA CT THEORY

During the · Enlightenment, social philosophers pond
ered the natural laws that
gove rn human societies, and in their discussion s,
several philo soph ers put forth their
theor ies regarding the formation of societies.
Enlightenment philo sophers such as Thomas Hobb
es, John Locke, and ~n
-1Pcgues Rousseau were among the most prominent
social theorists who tackl ed the
origin's of human society. To fully understand the true
cha~acter of society, they imag ined
humans as living in a so-called_"natu ral state," r~rno
., ved from mode(_nity and civilizatipn .
Examining humans in their natural state afforcfed ·thes
e philosophers an oppo rtuni ty to
discuss the origins of :•,cie ty and relate them to other
concepts such as man's intrinsic
nature and liberty. Various views emerged to expla
in the developments that brou ght
abou t the emergenc e of human society.

114
 Lesson 7: The Human Person in Society

For ThQQ.1,as Habbe .

and the s,. Persons In their natura l states are govern ed by their desires
se often lead to co fll
which n ct w ith their fellow men. Society, therefore, Is the means by
peopl e seek to co nt I 1I
estab l' h . . ro "lelr natura l tendencies and Impose order. Individuals who
..
an
is soc1et1es enter Int
amou nt of th eir freed
° a social cantrac:;i,: - an a.9reerner1t where Individuals sacrifice
• to
funcr om and submi t to a higher authority. In th is way, society is able
ion and meet the d
~ nee s of the many, ensuring the surviva l of humanity.
ption.
U .k propo sed his own ideas on the social con tract with a differe nt assum
n,1 e Ho bbes Lock .
' e con sidere d persons in their natu ral states as more coope rative
an d reasonable and th at societ .
y is formed through th e consent of the individuals that
'
gover ned. Locke 's social
o rganiz ed it. This conce pt is known as the consent of the .
contra ct is a coven a nt amon g 1nd1v1 . . . "
duals to·cooperate and share the burden of uphold ing
the welfa re of so cie · t Y- A lso, the authority established to run societ y should reflect the
.
fail to uphold its obliga tion
ideals of th e peopl e who organized it. Should this authority
replaced with a new one.
or live up to the ideals of the people , it will be discarded and
him to advocate the
JE;ao lacque s Rousseau 's ideas on the social contract led
if the people are the ones
~ conce pt of the "9-eneral wl!!," Rousseau believed that even
ment, in extreme cases, the
who organ ized societ y and established an authority or govern
on the assum ption that
gover nmen t is able to impose its will on the people. This is based
, and that it is considered
the peopl e have empow ered the government to act on their behalf
to be the bes·t judge of what is most beneficial for society.
decision-making in
More recen t views on the social contract give emphasis to individual
human beings approach
society. John Raw~ redefi ned the social contract and explained that
ual SPl{-dmo,ts. Rawls
s~cial coope ration in a rati~nal manner in ord~ t ~t their j2djnid
origina l position to explain
introd uced a versio n of the natural state which he called the
nce," or no knowledge of
social forma tion. He imagined humans as having a "veil of ignora
In this state, humans would
one's own characteristi~s such as gender, race, or social status.
their own interes ts._Qa ~
natura lly seek a just and fair society in an effort to look out for
i -maintainin
Gauth ier descri bed peo le's self-interest as a si nificant factor
their self-interests. But
societ ies. People choos e to cooperate since it ts benefi cial to meet
s of individ uals in meeting
t ~ f ish intere st benefits soc_iety as a whole, since the action
ers of societ y.
their individual needs also further the interests of the other memb
s one comm on
Althou gh there are variations on the social contract theory, perhap
into a kind of agreement
featur e they all have Is the fact that the different individuals enter
their self-in terest in order
with one another to form a societ y. Individual members put aside
. It is important to note
to create a community where they may live in harmony with others
other: the individual is not
~·that in a society, one is not compromised for the sake of the
Only a society which
in any way violated for the sake of the community and vice versa.
may be considered a
ensur es the development of the individual and his or her community
prope r and humanizing society.
 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Perso
n
. . .
It 1s ~po rtan t to note that society 1s founded on the conc ep t of the com monf
good. Phil osop hers who discussed the origins f . d the eme rgen ce o
o society trac e . h
society to the hum an desire to achieve the goal . . A t
of surv iva1• par from hthis,h uma nd
beings are compelled to come toge ther , establish 1 . h . with eac ot er, an
re auon s ips d
wor k toge th er as a unit ed grou p because o f h
t e natu ra1 desi•re for goo ness . 0hur
natu re as hum an pers ons driv es us to do wha
t is good, an d we rec ogn ize that d
ot er
k
pers ons also desire goodness as well. Whe n mor n desi res an wor s
. e than one pers o h
to ach 1eve the same good, then it can be said that a com mon d
goo e xists amo ng t em.
The com mon good refers to the social cond . .
itions wh1c h enable Perso· ns and grou ps
to fulfill thei r goals and achieve well-being. On
a larger scale, examples of the com ~on
d . . .
goo may mclude peace w1thm the community, .
publ'1C spaces1 an efficient
clean and sa1e c
tran spor t system, and efficient public service. The
com mon good applies to all mem b_e~[Link]
society. This means that not only do all members
benefit from it, all have the resp onsi bilit y
to wor k for it. By working to attain the common
good, a person is now able to crea te
opportunities for himself or herself as well as othe
rs. The collective effo rt of indi vidu al
persons towards the common good ensures that
each member of the com mun ity will be
able to live in a world where they can pursue their
own perfection and fulfillment.

DISCUSS
1. Wha t ai:e the factors or influences that drove hum
an bein gs'to establish
societies?
'
2. Reflect on the groups that you intera_ct with regu
larly. How do thes e grou ps
[Link] e common good?

Wh at are the diff eren t forms of societies?

The development of societies throughout histo
ry show" the deve lopm ent of
hum anki nd in response to changing surroundi
ngs and historical developments. The
various forms of societies that emerged include the
following:

Hunting and gathering society - This is recogniz

ed as the earliest and simplest
form of society. It is generally characterized by
its small size and is composed main ly of
families. They are nomadic because they spend mos
t of their time searching for food and
thus, have no perm anen t territory. The hierarchy
in this type of society is not very varied.
Its members are generally treated equally and decis
ions are usually arriv ed at thro ugh a
consensus. Because of this, the roles of its mem
bers and the division of labo r is not very
clearly defined.

I 116 \
 Lesson 7: The Human Person in Society

. Past0ral society - This type of society is characterized by the domesticatio n of

ammals for food ior a more stable and predictable food supply. Pastoral communltles ..
h ave larger pop I t'10 · 1 ·
u a ns t h an hunting and gathering societies and remain onger m one
PIace. In. additio n, pastora I societies
· h' h h
often produce surplus food and resources, w ic t ey
tra d e with oth er societies.
• . . . · h
. . . This relative prosperity enables the people to engage m ot er
actiVlties apart from t h ose necessary
· · 11 l d
for survival such as handicrafts. This eventua Y ea s
to the emergence o f specia '
. 1·1zed tasks in the community.

Horticultur al society - A horticultural society primarily engages in the small-

scale cultivation of plants, fruits, and vegetables and the domesticatio n of animals.
Horticultura l societies are semi-nomadi c, which means that they travel to another place
when they have already depleted the resources in one area. In this society, roles and
responsibilit ies are more clearly defined with many tasks assigned according to gender.
Similar to the pastoral society, there is also a surplus of goods, which sometimes leads to
inequalities among its members.

In early societies, the individuals were often very family- and clan-oriented , and
their behaviors and actions were restricted by tradition. The assignment of tasks and
occupations were often based on gender, with women doing mostly domestic work in the
home, while the men engaged in hunting and farming.

Agrarian or agricultura l society - This type of society .is a further evolution of

the pastoral and horticultural societies. Agriculture involves the l~rge-sca!e and long-
term cultivation of crops and domestication of animals. This society is characterized by
improved technology an~ t~e use of tools to ~id in .f~rming. Improved technology and
farming methods result m mcreased production, givmg rise to a grqwing population
l;;
 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Perso
n

in agricultural societies. The large population · .· •eties leads to a mor e

of agnc u1tura1 soci Th . asi· ngly
struc tured social system that helps manage reso d . bers e mer e
. . . urce s an its mem · . fl' t
complex social orga niza tion and growing importance of [Link] Oft e n resu1t m con 1c s
amo ng neighbo ring societies over resources and
land.
. . . fl
Feudal soci ety -A feudal society is based on the
own ersh ip O an d· Feud al .socideties
arose out of developments in Wes tern Europe duri . al .
. .
ng Med1ev times, w hen riva l king oms
were engaged m conflict over resources, particula c d 1
rly land. In a 1eu a society' rule
.
rs gran t
thei r followers or vassals the right to manage parc
els of land. The se vassals, m turn , are
served by peasant workers who [Link] the land
and tend to t he amm · a1 in the farms. In
s
retu rn for thei r services, they are provided mili
tary protection. Mem bers of soci ety are
organized based on status. Tho se who own land
are considered the mos t pow erfu l a nd
influential members of society, while the peasants
are considered the lowe st grou p. Social
relat ions are characterized by dependence. The lord
depends on his vassals to prov ide him
with resources, the vassals depend on the peasants
for thei r service, whil e the peas ants
depend on thei r vassals for protection.
An agrarian an·d feudal society gives rise to indiv
iduals who value rela tion s amo ng
family mem bers and with othe r members in
the community. People are ofte n very
conscious of thei r place within society and are
mindful of the hierarchy. Peop le who
belo ng to the "hig her classes" are treated with resp
ect by the members of the com mun ity.
They are often traditional and are resistant to socia
l change, preferring to main tain the
way thin gs are in tlieir community.

Indu stria l soci ety -:-- An industrial society is

based on the use of specialized
mac hine ry in the production of goods and services.
The advances in science and tech nolo gy
in the late 18th century resulted in the Industria
l Revolution, whic h in turn gave rise
to new prod ucti on and industrial methods, as well
as inn<?vations in tran spor tatio n and
com mun icati on. The se technological advances resu
lted in improved trad e and com mer ce
and bett er life cond ition s for many people. Wor
k is done in factories and public educ atio n
is mor e prevalent. However, the emergence of
industrial societies is char acte rized by
grea ter inequalities in wealth, power, and influence
. Industrial societies are ofte n defi ned
by the natu re of wor k and the prevailing industry
in an area. The capitalists or busi ness
own ers are cons ider ed the mos t influential. Thi_
s type of society is also char acte rized by
cultural dive rsity and the presence of bureaucratic
forms of organization.
An industrial society is a significant departure from
the agrarian society, as man y of
the relations are not family or community-based
. An imp orta nt factor in social relations
is the workplace, and people often interact with
individuals who do not com e from the
sam e family, clan, or community. Impersonal relat
ionships prevail among individuals. The
difference betw een social groups is even mor e mark
ed and is defined by access to economic
 Lesson 7: The Human Person in Society

resources and pr . .
seen as reso ospenty. Alienation is common in industrial societies, as people are often
urces to be exploited.

Post-Indus trial society - The post-industrial society is marked by the establis hment
of societie s based on knowledge, information, and the sale of services . Led by the human
to
mind and aided by highly advanced technology, the trend has shifted from industry
es
the generat ion, storage, manipulation, and sale of informa tion. Informa tion influenc
the behavio r of people and has thus become a very importa nt commodity in the post-
industr ial society. Membe rs of this society have higher educational attainm ent, better
training , and specialized roles. The virtual society, where people organize themselves
through commu nication technology and the Internet, is a product of a post-ind ustrial
F

society. Individ uals in a virtual society often enage in complex relationships. They often
have fluid identiti es and do not necessarily subscribe to certain norms or established
standar ds of behavio r. The freedom allowed in virtual worlds means that a person is able
to engage in various activities, as well as access various kinds of information.

The growth and development of the various forms of societies highlight the growing
comple xity of human interactions over time. The technological advances and cultural
changes that brough t about these changes result in the expansion of commu nities that
now include people from varied ethnicities. These developments have led to innovations
in human interact ions such as language and the establishment of governm ents. Many
es
countri es around the world are industrial societies, and a number of develop ed countri
have evolved into post-ind ustrial and virtual societies. But despite these advancements
and changes, the human person still remains the heart and center of society. The person
is the primary agent of change, as he or she drives social changes based on responses to
events and develop ments affecting society.
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

THINK
Relate the discussion on the develop ment of the forms of society to the l:ii st~ric_al
develop ment of Philippine society. Make a timelin e identifying which penod m
our history corresp onds to each form of society. Present and discuss your work
in class.

How does society influe nce our develo pment as persons?

What makes us Filipino? Being born in the Philippines is not our choice, but as we
grow up in Philippine society, we begin to adopt the traits, traditions, and charact eristics
't hat distinguish Filipino culture. We learn to speak our mother languages throug h our
interactions with family members _and other members of society. It is also throug h
our interactions with other individuals and institutions that we learn how to behave
appropriately, what beliefs and traditions to practice, and what ideas and perspec tives to
consider acceptable. All these come together to define our identity not only as persons , but
as members of Philippine society. _
· It can be said that you cannot think of a person outside of society and you cannot
think of a society withou t persons. The person and the society have a very dynam ic
relatio nship in which one cannot exist withou t the other. Because of this reality,
it is importa nt to consider society's role in the growth and development of a person, and
the·pers on's role in transforming society.
Society influen ces our develo pment as person s in variou s ways. Society is the
backdrop by which we adopt the [Link] culture, identity, values, ideas, and knowle dge
of the persons, groups, and communities that surroun d us. Think of the various groups and
institut ions in society that have contributed to your identity as a person. Your interac tions
with your family, friends, schoolmates, teachers, and other people in your commu nity
have all left indelible marks on your identity. Society shapes all individuals that are part of
it, though each person is influenced by society in differen t ways.
An importa nt way society influences us as persons is its ability to define the
relation ships and interact ions among its membe rs. Society influences the interac tions
of its membe rs through the establis hment of norms , which are a set of traits and
behavio r that society conside rs acceptable, and are thus encoura ged and passed on to
other membe rs.
When you meet a .person for the first time or when someone is introdu ced to you,
what do you do? The first thing that comes to your mind is to say "Hello!" or "Nice to
meet you!" Some will offer a handshake to the other person as a greeting. A handshake
I
is
 Lesson 7: The Human Person in Society

a simp le gest ure b t . ve when we are with othe r

peop le E . ' u it shows how society expects us to beha
. ver since you been cons tantly remi nded to gree t your
elde rs resp f uII y FT •were a child, you have
ect ct to elde rs: the
ipinos have a unique gesture to gree t and show respe
1
mano O ·
r pagmamano.

respect to your elders, you refuse

Let's imag ine that when you are told to greet or give
of the people arou nd you? Surely, your
to do so. Wha t do you think will be the reaction
will be considered a disrespectful pers on.
actio ns will be cons idere d disrespectful and you
established norms, they often expe rienc e
Whe n mem bers of a society do not conform to
social stigma. Norm s are one of the ways
nega tive cons eque nces , such as puni shm ent or
ns of its mem bers and establishes and
that soci ety regu lates the behavior and interactio
main tains social orde r.
school. Why do you thin k thes e
Thin k of the rules established by your family and
rules are violated? How have these rules
rules are put in place? Wha t happens when these
influ ence d your behavior?
can also influence know ledg e and
Soci ety, thro ugh the establishment of norm s,
wha t does it mean? We all know that
idea s. For insta nce, if the traffic light flashes red,
that the colo r red will be the univ ersal
the rea ligh t mea ns stop , but who established
to accept the state men t "the red traffic
sign al for STO P on the road? We have learned
established that fact and we have been
ligh t mea ns stop " as truth because society has
ine that tomo rrow , the traffic sign als
expo sed to it -sinc e we were young. Now imag
s caution, and yellow mea ns stop. Wha t
get swit ched - red now means go, green mean
think of all the rules and tra~ ition s that
do you thin k will happ en in the streets? Now
. How have these rules influ ence d our
have been in place in our society for a long time
lt in chaos if it were chan ged? Laws
know ledg e? Wha t rule in our society would resu
lish and define acceptable beha vior of
are mor e formal and strin gent norm s that estab
or penalties that will be impo sed on
citizens. Thes e also prescribe the consequences
arise from tradi tion and do not resu lt
viola tors. Folk way s are less formal norm s that
in puni shm ent whe n violated.
 Introduction to the Philosophy of the
Human Person

No rm s, laws, and oth er rules tha t . . s giv e rise to a soc ial

regulate hum an mt era cuo n . d'
sys tem , which is an organi zed or
pat ter ned set of re latio . h' mo ng m 1vi'd ua1s an d
ns ips a .h
oroups tha t com pos e a society. Me
0 mb ers of soc iety act an d mte . t wit an es t a bl'ish e d
social system. Each me mb er is ass rac db h .
igned a soc ial rol e, w h i'ch are a ctio ns an e av1ors
e:Kpected of a cer tain ind ivid ual . Ind d £
ivid ual s wh o sha re sim ilar bac kgr 0
sim ilar rol es are gro upe d tog eth e;·i oun s ~ per orm
nto soc ial gro up s or"'social' cla sse
tha t penrorm vita . . . s. ~erta_m groupds
l fun ctio ns m society are recog~~ uze . d
as soc ial ins utu tto ns, an
· lu d th f ·1 ·
t h ese me .
e e am1 y_, s_cho ol,· go v~ nt d . • ,-0 r live s are a con tin uou
. . . , an re 11g1 on.
.. . -
int era ctio n wit h dif fer ent social..._, cfass·es·, gro ups
...,. ·
u
· 1
. . h s
, and socia_ ms · t'tu
1 tio ns. ~ ese
rel atio nsh ips con trib ute to sha pin . .
g 'Our'""view- of the wo rld and def
A we ll-f unc tio nin g social sys tem ini ng_ ou_r ide nti ty.
wh ere all me mb ers , gro ups , and
in har mo ny will ens ure tha t soc iety inS t1t uti ons wo rk
rem ain s har mo nio us and con tin ues
we lfar e of its me mb ers . to6 uph ol~ the
So cie ty als o tra nsf orm s hu
ma n rel ati on s, wh ich lea
tra nsf orm ati on of its me mb ers ds to th e
. Th e his tor ica l dev elo pm ent of soc
abo ut sig nif ica nt cha nge s in the iety has bro ug ht
wa y hum an bei ngs rel ate to eac h
we re ini tial ly cen ter ed on the fam oth er. Ea rly soc iet ies
ily and the clan. Bu t the em erg
soc ieti es tra nsf orm ed hum an rel enc e of ind ust ria l
atio ns, as int era ctio ns we re no lon
fam ily and com mu nit y ties , bu t ger bas ed on ly on
also int era ctio ns in the wo rkp lac
hav e bro ugh t abo ut ano the r gre e. Vi rtu al soc iet ies
at tra nsf orm atio n in hum an rel
com mu nic ati on tec hno log ies ma atio ns, as im pro ved
ke it pos sib le for peo ple fro m
int era ct closely wit h eac h oth er. far aw ay pla ces to
To day's mo der n soc iety ena ble s
div ers e bac kgr oun ds and var ied var iou s peo ple fro m
soc ieti es to int era ct and est abl ish
oth er. clo se tie s :wi th eac h
Over the cou rse of his or her life,
a per son will und ert ake var iou s soc
or she con tinu ally inte rac ts wit h ial rol es as he
oth er me mb ers of society. An ind
me mb er of a family, he or she is also ivi dua l is no t jus t a
a nei ghb or, a citizen, a wo rke r, and
org ani zat ion , gro up, or religion. a me mb er of an
Th ese roles ent ail sets o'f res pon sib
mu st und ert ake . As the per son ilit ies tha t the per son
navigates thr oug h var iou s rol es
rel atio nsh ips wit h oth er peo ple also in soc iety , his or he r
cha nge . Th rou gho ut ou r life , we
the wa y we rela te wit h the peo ple und erg o cha nge s in
in our lives. Wh en we we re chi ldr
to ou r par ent s and family me mb ers en, we we re ver y clo se
. Bu t as we gro w up and ou r social
int era ctio ns now inc lud e our frie circ le exp and s, ou r
nds, sch ool ma tes , wo rkm ate s, and
Ad ult s also exp eri enc e cha nge in oth er acq uai nta nce s.
the ir roles and exp ect atio ns as the
and tak e on add itio nal res pon sib ilit y bec om e bre adw inn ers
ies . Tak ing on adu lt roles oft en me
bon ds est abl ish ed dur ing the ear ans tha t ~a ny of the
lier yea rs will hav e to cha nge . It is
los t con tac t wit h you r chi ldh ood pos sib le tha t you hav e
frie nds bec aus e of som e cha nge s
life. As you los e frie nds a,nd acq uai nta tha t hap pened in you r
nce s, you also gai n new one s ove
r tim e.
 Lesson 7: The Human Person In Society
Ourv ·
anous roles in so .
we may relate mo ciety also chang e the way we relate to people. In our family,
rec1osely t . .
may not treat our 1 °
c assmates a . d
our parent s, s1blmgs 1 and relativ es. In school, however, we
I . . .
r . . n teac 1ers hke our family. A person may be the head of the
1amily m his or her ho
But when this me and he or she takes charge of making decisio ns in the household.
person goes t 0 k
decisi on-ma kin . Wor , he or she may no longer find himse lf or herself in a
g ro1e '. since Ile ors h e 1s
·
merely an employee. When a person gets elected
to an impor t
ant post m th
or her fam·l e gover nment , he or she should no longer treat memb ers of his
1 Y or comm · .
memb er f th unity m a preferential manner, but should now strive to treat all
so e comm unity equally. •
. .
Anoth er way s • shapes us is throug h social values, which are actions or ideals
. ociety .
that are consid ered · nce to the
impor tant by society. Values such as cooperation, obedie . . .
1aw, conce rn for oth mrng an
ers, and respect for others are considered vital to mamta
ord erly society · A societ . . e social values will mfluence its mem bers
· y t h at upholds positiv . . • ·
· · e values. On the other hand, a society that is defined by negati·ve
to uphol d these positiv
values.
values will, in turn, produce individuals who embody these negative
dual include
Other aspects of society that contribute to the formation of the indivi
ideas with those of
langu age, religio n, and historical events. Compare your beliefs and
since you belong to
your paren ts or elders. In some cases, you will have similar views
views. One reason
the same family , but you will differ in some of your ideas, beliefs, and
paren ts and elders
for this is that you have gone throug h different life experiences. Your
experiences that
were born to an earlier genera tion and have thus gone throug h some
genera tion that has
you will never encou nter. In the same way, you were born into a
and views brings
uniqu e experi ences and characteristics. This disparity in experience
people of differ ent
about the "[Link] gap," which often leads to conflict among
society ensures that
ages when discussing certain topics. But whatever our differences,
benefi ts from the
we are able to intera ct in meaningul ways, and that each memb er
relatio nships they have established with the people they encou nter.

DISCUSS
traits or behavior
1. How has your comm unity influenc~d you as a person? What
can you directly attribute to your upbringing in society? ·
and values
2. Which traits or values identify us as Filipino? Why are these traits
considered impor tant by Philippine society?
 . to the Philosophy of the Human Person
Introduction

THINK . h ed throughout
·
Reflect 0 11 how yo ur relationships an d r.· o Ies m so ciety have c ang
. . g the required
your life. Copy the table below and comp1ete ·t
1 by wntin
. forma t 10 11
111

I often relate to the I performed the

Period following roles...
following groups....

Early Childhood

Elementary

High School

What significant changes have you noticed in your relationships with others
throughout your life? What role did society play in these changes?

How does society enable me to become a better person?

Although society greatly influences the development of the self, the hu111an person
still has the freedom to choose not to be fully defined by his or her background or society.
We have the freedom to rise above our circumstances and make ourselves into something
different or better. For instance, a child who grew up in the slums or squatters area can
choose to rise above his or her social condition through education and hard work. By
exerting effort, that child will eventually become successful and achieve a better life. A
person who comes from a family of doctors may feel that he or she has a different calling
in life and thus may choose not to pursue a career in medicine. Some Filipinos have even
decided to renounce their citizenship to become citizens of other countries. As much as we
are influenced by our surroundings, our physical limits, and our society, our personhood
still provides us an opportunity to transcend and define ourselves on our own terms.
 Lesson 7: The Human Person in Society
Society
recognizes th
members With e capability of the person to develop, and provides its
• opportun· · .
service, education d lttes to better [Link]. Effective and efficient public
, an the 111 • .
ensures that we amtenance of peace and order are some of the ways society
. . are able to l . . . . . .
van <?us instituti . lave p1 oduct1ve li ves and realize our potential. Through its
ons, society d
who can make . .fi en eavors to develop well-adjusted and productive members
signi icant co ·b · . . .
welfare of the . ntn ut1ons to 1t. Social systems are m place to ensure the
person m • .
strives to rec . society. Through the various instit utions and groups, society
ognize and .
they are abl t . promote the individual dignity of persons and guarantees that
e o 1ive h .
A f armoniously with others.
part rom choos·
to cont 'b mg not to be fully defined by society persons can also undertake
n ute to soc. h . , . .
iety t rough their decisions and actions. One important way a
person can contribut . . .. .
e to social change is by enacting his or her social responsibilities well.
A son or daughter · ·
is expected to respect and obey his or her parents and elders and help
eac. h member
. of the f:am1·1y. A parent is expected to provide for the needs of the fam ilYan d
raise his or her child . . f'..11 ·
ren well. A student is expected to study well and participate W1Y m
school activities · ·A c1t1zen
·· · expected to support democratic values and cooperate wit
1s ·h
members of the community and other institutions .to uphold the welfare of the country
and the common good. You embody all these roles and therefore should do your utmost to
uphold the responsibilities that go with them. All members of society are expected to do
their share in upholding the values and goals of their respective societies and ensure that
their society continues to be oriented toward what is good and beneficial for all.
An individual's actions can also cause great changes in society. Previously, it was
thought that only"great", "influential", or "powerful" individuals can bring about change in
their respective societies. We often equate social change to the actions of heroes, political
figures, and famous personalities. However, the numerous opportunities provided
nowadays by improved technology and access to information have given ordinary people
the means to be sources of social change themselves. You may have heard of stories that
have gone "viral" on the Internet. Many of these stories come from ordinary citizens
who call attention to problems or issues that need to be addressed, such as damaged
infrastructure, inefficient public service, and chme and safety concerns. These stories
soon gain attention and sometimes prompt the government and retated institutions to
take action. Another way that individuals can bring about social change is by organizing
themselves into g!oups that advocate certain causes. Organized action is often the best
means to bring about changes in society, and the concerted effort of many groups often
bring about a social movement, which is a larg~-scale action done by various groups and
organizations in pursuit of a common goal to brmg about change.
Are you a member of an organization that upholds a social cause? Have you ever
taken the initiative to call attention to problems in your community? What social issues
assionate about? Do you see yourself making a significant contribution to
are you most P . . .. .
. · the future' Taking action to bnng about positive changes at home and m your
sooetym · _
, 125
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
. b
rodu cuve mem er
·cy f Ifill your role as a p
communi is one way that you will be able to • u· chan . our society, we are able
·ecy In taking action to bring about pos1uve ges m
of so Cl · l
d . terac ting with our grea ter
to fulfill our purpose as hum an persons w 10 are l'vin
1 g an m
d
community and working toward achieving the greater
goo ·

DISCUSS .
. . 11-being?
1. How does society enable its d
members to eve 1O p and achi eve we
. ?
2 How can individuals contribute to b_ringing change in society . . ,
- .
3. How can you uphold the common goo~ m ective societies.
your resp . ? Wha t brought abou t
4. Wha t positive changes have occurred m your com
mum ty
these changes?

Review
.... ...............
■ Society was brought about by ~he human desire to relate with
othe rs. Soci ety
is considered a product of deliberate actions by individua
ls 'Yho com e toge ther
in pursuit of a common goal.
.
■ Society greatly influences the individual, as it determin
es to a cert am
extent a person's identity. Society makes possible the
eme rgen ce of cert ain
individualities, which are the result of the person's inter
actio n with othe r
members of-society.
■ Philosophers consider society as a product of the "soci
al contract", whe re
individuals decide'to sacrifice personal interest and subm
it to a high er
authority. Society is also rooted in the concepts of the
com mon good and
general welfare, which refers to social conditions that
enab le pers ons and
groups to fulfill their goals and achieve well-being.
■ Various forms of society have emerged thro ugho ut hum
an histo ry. The se
societies have given rise to specific individualities that
were defi ned by the
nature of hum an relations prevalent with in those socie
ties.
■ Apart from defini~g individualities, society also influ
ences the pers on by
defining the relationships that its members are able to
engage in. Soci ety is
able to define relationships and interactions amo ng its
mem bers thro ugh
norms, the establishment of a social system, and by upho
lding social val
■ Society provides opportunities for its members to grow ues.
and achi eve well -
being. Thro ugh its various institutions, society ende
avor s to deve lop well-
adjusted and productive members that can make sign
ificant cont ribu tion s
to society. In turn , individuals upho ld the com mon
good and wor k to brin
about positive changes in society.
g
,;;I