THE HUMAN PERSON AS AN EMBODIED SPIRIT
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. To explain the different systems of thought about man having a body and soul
2. To recognize one’s limitations and possibilities for transcendence
3. To determine the limitation and possibilities for transcendence
4. To reflect on what makes man truly human
INTRODUCTION
Understanding what it means to be a human person is arduous. This has been a perennial problem even from ancient
times. Ancient Greek philosophers made attempts to explain what constitutes man, or what makes man different from
the other living beings in the world. Some very common questions are about its origin, life's possibilities, freedom,
purpose, and happiness.
But what is a human person? How will you answer this question? In explaining the essence of the human person, it is easy
to focus on its material or physical aspect. Human persons indeed have material needs, but they also have non-material
aspects (Bernados, 2017). What then are these material and non-material aspects of man?
Imagine that you have a motorcycle. Before buying one, you probably have some preferences in mind. You imagine some
specifications of the bike, such as the brand, suspension, the possible top speed, design, color, and many other features.
These specifications of the motorcycle are its material aspect. But it also requires care, maintenance, and attention;
otherwise, it will not last for years. We can say that this is where we can locate its non-material aspect.
Similarly, human persons have material and non-material aspects. A person has a body with all its various features (e.g.,
dark skin, flat nose, long legs, etc.). Its non-material aspect, on the other hand, refers to his/her emotional needs, desires,
and even passions.
In doing philosophy, we give attention to the material and non-material aspects of human persons. This brings us to the
idea that a human person is an embodied spirit.
THE HUMAN PERSON AS AN EMBODIED SPIRIT
What does the term “embodied spirit” mean? Probably, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the term
'embodied' is that it is a quality of being materialized or a characteristic of possessing a body. On the other hand, when
we consider the term “spirit”, we think of something immaterial.
However, to speak of the human person as an 'embodied spirit' does not refer to the materialization or the personification
of a human being. Rather, it refers to the inseparable union of the body and the soul. Simply, the human person as an
embodied spirit means that his/her body is inseparable from his/her soul, just as the soul is inseparable from the body. In
other words, the human person is the meeting point of the material and immaterial entities (Steph, 2018). This concept
makes it possible to accept man’s limitations and realize his potentials. Most importantly, it helps man recognize his
uniqueness.
THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE ANCIENT PERIOD
To speak of the human person's union of body and soul, we need to understand some of the thoughts of the ancient Greek
philosophers, namely, Plato and Aristotle. Their concepts are influenced by the cosmogenic model of the world.
Considering that man is part of the universe, Plato and Aristotle attempted to explain the origin of man. They made a great
contribution to the idea of the human person as a being with body and soul.
Plato’s Three Functions of the Soul
Plato's view of the human person rests on the dichotomy of the body and soul. For him, the body is material and is subject
to changes and destructions, while the soul is immaterial and unchanging. He also believed that the human soul is an
authentic part because the body is just its prison cell (Bernados, 2017). Hence, the body's existence is dependent on the
soul, while the soul is independent of the body.
How is it possible that the existence of the soul is independent of the body? Plato contended that the soul existed before
the body, for it was created by the gods and was venerable in birth (Plato, Timaeus, in Reginal Ellen, Greek Philosophy:
Thales to Aristotle, 1966). Accordingly, the soul has a tripartite function, namely, the rational function, the passion
function, and the appetitive function (Stumpf & Fieser, 2012). These three functions of the soul are represented by the
body parts, i.e., head, chest, and abdomen. The head does the soul's rational function, which enables human persons to
think, analyze, comprehend, and make decisions. This guides the passion and appetitive functions of the soul. On the other
hand, passion function performs the actions dictated by reason and is also responsible for various feelings, such as hatred
or anger. Lastly, the appetitive function enables a person to experience cravings or anything that deals with man's physical
wants (Babor, 2001). For Plato, if a person allows his reason to properly guide his passion and appetite, he/she will have
a well-balanced personality (Stumpf & Fieser, 2012).
Aristotle’s Three Types of Souls
Aristotle disagreed with Plato that the soul is separable. For him, the soul and the body are substantially united. There is
no dichotomy between the two, for none cannot talk about the soul apart from the body or talk about the body apart
from the soul (Stumpf & Fieser, 2012). Aristotle explained in detail his view on man when he explained its biological and
psychological aspects. The word soul is an English translation of the Greek word psyche. Hence, for him, the soul is the
source of life.
What gives life to a body? For Aristotle, all bodies, living or not, are a combination of the primary elements. The body is
not the principle of life, for it is always in potentiality. It needs a form to be in actuality. By actuality, we mean it is alive.
When the body is alive, it will then be able to perform its functions. Like a cellphone, if it is not charged, it would not do
its functions.
The soul then is the form of the organized body. For Aristotle, anything that lives has a soul. Does this mean that animals
and plants also have souls? Yes. Not only humans have souls. Aristotle identified three kinds of souls found in plants,
animals, and man. These three kinds of souls are characterized as vegetative, sensitive, and rational. They are modeled
according to the various capacities of the body.
What do we mean by vegetative souls? Plants can grow, reproduce, and feed themselves. That is why the living soul is
found in them. It does not share the higher types of souls, for it cannot feel and think. On the other hand, the sensitive
soul shares with the vegetative soul, for it is also capable of growing, feeding, and reproducing. Moreover, what makes it
different is that it is also capable of sensing or feeling. A sensitive being possesses the appetite where desire, anger, and
pain are experienced (Melchert, 1999). Meanwhile, the rational soul shares with the other lower souls, i.e., vegetative and
sensitive. It has the capacity for scientific thoughts, for it can distinguish various things. With this capacity, it analyzes and
understands the relationship of things. Moreover, aside from the scientific thoughts, it also deliberates and discovers the
truth of the nature of things and the guidelines for human behavior (Stumpf & Fieser, 2012). Aristotle believed then that
there must be a connection between the mind and the soul. It is from this connection that consciousness and self-
awareness arise.
THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD
We have discussed what constitutes the existence of man, specifically its materiality. But there must be something more
than the material aspect of our existence. The ancient Greek philosophers focused only on the cosmogenic nature of
human beings. Something seems to be lacking when we think of our origin. Everything that exists must have a beginning
or a source.
The period following the ancient times is called the medieval period or the middle ages. This period is also referred to as
the age of faith. In Philosophy, this age marks a shift of focus from cosmology to theodicy. Thus, this period centers on
proving the existence of God based on rational methods. Two philosophers are very much known for this period, namely,
St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas.
St. Augustine
St. Augustine of Hippo had a deep interest in Philosophy in his search for meaning in the Christian faith. He believed that
God created the world, and this includes the creation of the immortal soul. A human being is not only material and rational
but, most importantly, a soul embodied in a material substance. In other words, the soul is a 'self-sustaining' substance.
Plato, therefore, believed in the soul’s immortality, which can exist without the body. With the soul’s self-subsistence, it
is the real person in man. It is the principle of life which is also what makes man authentic.
The authentic person of man is the soul within him. The fact the human body moves means that it is animated by the soul
to perform its functions. The human body and its senses outwardly express the activities of the human soul. Through our
five senses, the intellect, as a special faculty, is enhanced, allowing human beings to understand and realize that they are
more endowed than other animals.
St. Thomas Aquinas
Another notable philosopher known as a defender of the Christian faith and a Doctor of the Church is St. Thomas Aquinas.
He was greatly influenced by Aristotle's thoughts since, during his time, his works were introduced and accepted,
particularly in Paris. For Aquinas, Philosophy and Theology are not two conflicting disciplines. Rather, these two are
complementary in the quest for truth. In his view of man's nature, Aquinas believed that the soul is dependent on the
body, in the same way as the body is dependent on the soul. The difference between him and Aristotle was that the latter
only sees the body and soul as inseparable. For Aquinas, however, without the soul, the body will not have its form, and
without the body, the soul will not have its required sense organs to gain knowledge (Stumpf & Fieser, 2012). The soul
then gives life and understanding, as well as special physical features. It also accounts for man’s capacity for sensation and
the powers of intellect and will (Fisher, 2017). The intellect and will are the highest human faculties, making humans beings
higher than other animals. These faculties are geared towards the attainment of the contemplation of God. Through these,
man can aim towards the union and eternal fellowship with God, which is achieved in the beatific vision. What is this
beatific vision of Thomas? It is during the cessation of breath. When the physical body of man corrupts because of sins,
the soul of man continues to exist. From then, he can see face to face God and enjoy the eternal happiness. This is the gift
of God to all those who follow His precepts and who in life experienced salvation and redemption through his son Jesus
Christ (Bernados, 2017).
THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE MODERN PERIOD
The quest to understand the human person continued in modern times. In this period, there was a huge paradigm shift.
From being theocentric, it shifted to being anthropocentric. Modern ideas found it hard to fathom the notion of a God
that is beyond human perception. Thus, to better understand man and his nature, modern philosophers regarded him as
the most significant being in the world. In other words, modernity placed man at the top to distinguish him from other
animals. For this reason, anthropocentrism became an underlying assumption of most philosophical concepts during the
modern period. In this section, we will explore some of the ideas of Rene Descartes and John Locke.
Rene Descartes
The foremost person to have identified man on top of the other animals is Rene Descartes. He explicitly said that animals
have no souls; they cannot think and are mere bundles of instincts prepackaged by God. As a rationalist, he praised the
supremacy of the human mind over the human body. “I think, therefore, I am” is his famous dictum. This means that the
fact that man can think is proof that he exists. This kind of rationalism maintained that the human mind is different from
the human body and can exist without the other's presence. Like Plato, he believed that the destruction of the physical
body does not mean the destruction of the mind (Bernados, 2017).
Descartes' philosophy opened up the minds of many thinkers after him. His thoughts on the concept of the “I” led to the
idea of man's autonomy from a divine being. If a person allows himself to be trampled upon by another being, conflict
arises, which creates doubt. Descartes believed that the individual is responsible for himself. Through self-examination
and contemplation, a human person can realize that his existence is completely different from others.
John Locke
The human mind could not attain any knowledge without perceiving it first. John Locke, an empiricist, provided a
systematic philosophy that attempts to answer how the human person thinks. Locke disagreed with Descartes that human
persons are born with innate, fundamental principles, and knowledge (Kleinman, 2013). If they were, all humans should
accept certain universal principles. But since this is not the case, then such a claim must be false.
For Locke, the human mind is a tabula rasa or blank slates. Knowledge is acquired only through sensory experiences. This
means that the soul begins to know only when the senses begin to perceive. To point out the relation of the soul and the
body in Locke's philosophy, we can simply say that the soul is always in contact with the body. The soul's task is to think
and interpret what the physical body perceives. Therefore, human knowledge is limited, and humans should be aware of
such limitations (Kleinman, 2013).
For Locke, human nature necessarily includes the capacities for thinking, feeling, and acting. These features distinguish us
from other creatures, and make us human persons.
THE HUMAN BODY
To speak of the human body connotes the idea of finitude. If you recall, we mentioned that the body of a human being is
a material thing. Anything that is material is subject to corruption or destruction. Being embodied means human beings
have certain limitations. Because of his/her body, a person becomes constrained by time and space. Such bodily existence
is oriented towards an impending death (Babor, 2001).
Take notice of your physicality. Everything you see on your body is called accidents: your skin color, size, shape, height,
weight, etc. These accidental characteristics are sometimes the basis of recognizing (or misrecognizing) the dignity and
value of persons. Identifying a person based on his/her accidental features can have either positive or negative effects.
For instance, in any basketball league, teams are categorized and bracketed, not just according to geographical locations,
skills, and abilities but also according to the players’ body size and height. For this reason, those countries that have taller
players would always have a higher chance of becoming champions.
It may be well to note that the colonial mentality that most Filipinos imbibed is one of the problems of the continued
patronage of anything foreign. For instance, many Filipinos aim to look and sound like the people from the West. Some
would even spend a lot of money just to undergo various cosmetic surgeries due to dissatisfaction with their natural
physical features. These are just a few of the many things that foreground the idea that human beings face a lot of physical
limitations.
Given these physical constraints, human beings have the ability to transcend. In other words, these limitations could also
provide the motivation and purpose to strive harder in realizing one's potentials and possibilities. Being embodied,
therefore, is not a hindrance to develop and advance. We can always improve the intangible limitations of this life.
THE POSSIBILITY FOR TRANSCENDENCE
The act of surpassing our limitations is called “transcendence”. This is another essential trait that makes man special from
all other existing beings. How and when does man experience such transcendence? To transcend is to go beyond the
ordinary. For instance, Filipinos' love for music enables them to sing passionately, not minding if they are out of tune or
off-beat. Though they are aware that they could not hit a single note no matter how hard they tried, their passion and
love for music keep them singing. Moreover, we often experience hunger, fatigue, thirst, loneliness, emptiness, and many
others. These bodily tendencies can be overcome through a proper exercise of reason. We carry within ourselves the
possibility of transcending our limits by exerting enough effort and perseverance. Through transcendence, a person is able
to acknowledge his/her limitations, identify possibilities for development, and change him/herself for the better (Garcia,
2018).
CONCLUSION
In this chapter, we have understood that the soul and the body are two active existence in the human person. Our bodily
experiences like running, talking, writing, encoding, working are manifestations that we are living with it. Imagining with
goals and self-images and the internal functions of our senses are the activities of the soul. Significantly, the body and soul
of the human person stand for man’s possibilities. These possibilities are lived in different ways. The life experience of one
is not the same for everyone. Each has his/her unique way of living his/her bodiliness and spirituality. However, there is
still the objectivity of gradually living his/her bodiliness and spirituality in a fuller way (Moga, 1995). The human person
learns his bodily skills like walking, dancing, eating, and playing games of their choice.
Moreover, the human person learns to use various tools like paper, pencil, pen, knife, laptop computers, cellphones, and
other gadgets. With the continued experiences of his bodiliness, he is able to develop skills. These skills that are developed
in the human person are the possibilities of his existence. As man realizes his bodily possibilities, he is at the same time
developing his soulness. The soulness is experienced by seeing and aiming at his goals in life. While living in the material
world, the human person has ambitions. These ambitions drive man to strive hard and work for the best. Once his goals
and ambitions are achieved, man feels fulfilled with his life’s purpose.
The spirituality of the human person is always present in his life. This human spirituality constantly invites and suggests
that man will continue to walk down many paths leading to a fuller human life (Moga, 1995).
ASSESSMENT
Instruction: Answer the following questions:
1. What are your limitations as a person? What are the things that you consider as difficult or hard for you to accomplish
or believe in?
2. What are your strengths? What are the possible things or status that you can reach or achieve in the future?
3. What are the factors affecting your limitations? How about possibilities?
4. How can you transcend your current limitations?
