TAGBILARAN CITY COLLEGE
College of Business and Industry
Tagbilaran City, Bohol
Course Code NSTP1 Instructor Ritz Oniel P. Parducho
Course Title National Service Email
splpardz@[Link]
Training Program 1
Course Credits 3 units Contact Number
Course Consultation
7:30 – 11:30 AM
Classification Hours
Pre-Requisite(s) Consultation
302
Venue
Learning Module 2:
Duration of Delivery: Saturday, August 15, 2026
Due Date of Deliverables: Saturday, August 15, 2026
Intended Learning Outcomes:
• Describe the nature of the human person;
• Identify the importance of a person’s ability and capacity; and
• Describe a person’s unique qualities that make him/her a productive social being.
LESSON 2: The Nature of the Human Person
Overview:
This chapter discusses the nature of the human person. It answers these questions:
What is a human person? How can a human person attain his/her highest potential and
contribute to the common good?
Even during the ancient times, these questions have been relentlessly asked and evaluated.
Psychologist, philosophers, theologians, and scientist have written in-depth analyses of the
human nature using wide range of theories and observations.
The Human Person
It is essentially difficult to understand the human person, human nature, and the possibility of
achieving a productive society through the highest potential of a person.
Estañol (2007) defines the human person as having physical, spiritual, emotional, and
intellectual attributes. St. Thomas Aquinas describes the human person as having physical and
spiritual substance because he/she has a soul and is created by a Superior being with a divine
purpose. Dictionaries define the human person as a “self-conscious animal”.
Characteristics of a Human Person
Babor (2007) in his book, The Human Person: Not Real, But Existing, discusses the several
characteristics of a human person, namely:
1. A human person is a rational being. He/She is free to think and has the capacity to
reason and distinguish between right and wrong.
2. A human person is born free. He/She has the freedom to do or not to do thing. However,
every person is responsible for his/her own action.
3. A human person is unique. He/She possesses an identity that makes him/her unlike any
other person. Generally speaking, even if two persons have the same characteristics
and physical features, they are not the same because each one has his/her own
perception, and a different set of values and priorities in life.
4. Every person is intrinsically a social being and cannot detach himself/herself from other
creatures in the universe. By nature, he/she is characterized by his/her relationships
with other creatures, objects, or his/her fellowmen.
5. All living things are sexual by nature, but the uniqueness of expression of a person’s
sexuality makes him/her different. The expression of a person’s emotions, attitudes,
feelings, actions. And thoughts in sexual activity best exemplifies his/her uniqueness
from animals.
Biblical Views
The human person has superiority and dignity inherited from the Supreme Being.
According to the book of Genesis, chapter 1, verses 26 to 27, God created man and woman
in His own image and likeness and made them masters of the fish of the sea, the birds, the
heaven, the earth, the wild beasts, and all the reptiles that crawl upon the earth.
The Supreme Being entrusted to the human person the care of creatures on the earth,
aware of the possibilities, challenges, and difficulties he/she will encounter in his/her life.
Agbuya(1997) states that “He/She (human person) is designated by God to exercise
dominion over other creatures in his/her everyday use of freedom, search for happiness,
and openness to the world around him/her. And what makes him/her human is his/her
being a true person, which includes the special gifts and talents of thinking, loving, longing
for happiness, and making decision. The human nature was patterned after the image of
God.”
Philosophical Views
According to Protagoras, a human person is the measure of all things that exist and of all
things that do not exist. Furthermore, Plato claimed that the perfect human being does not
exist in this world because what is in this world is just an imperfect copy of humanity’s
original self in the realm of ideas. Parmenides posited that a person has knowledge of
something that exists, for a person who does not exist is nothing.
A human person like other animals has external and internal organs. A human being
becomes evident when he/she starts to share his/her thoughts and ideas with others.
Maguigad (2006) in his book, Philosophy of the Human Being, explains the different
philosophical views of the human person. These are the following:
1. Conservatism
The conservative view is not entirely positive and definitely non-egalitarian.
Some men contribute more than others to society, and therefore, must be
rewarded and honored by society. All human persons may not be of equal value to
society: some men are intended to rule, the rest to obey. This is in line with one of
the Confucian ethical ideas which states that the superior man must rule and the
commoner must bow before his authority.
2. Liberalism
Liberalism has more egalitarian view of human nature. It believes that all
men are capable of reason and rational action and have the capacity to live
satisfactory and productive lives if given the opportunity. Reason is common to all
human beings and this fact raises them above the level of beasts and enables
them to know the principles of suitable living. According to Mencius, “Every human
being can become a sage king, that is, anyone can gain the wisdom rule.”
3. Socialism
In socialism, the human being readily engages in cooperative social
activities when given the opportunity. Unfortunately, this natural cooperative
instinct is not fostered when some people selfishly exploit the other people.
4. Fascism
Fascism holds that what matters most is the country itself. The human
being can prosper only when the nation prospers; his/her fate is merely secondary
when it comes to the country. Like the conservatives, the fascists contend that
some human beings are naturally and racially better that others.
Classical Greek Views
The early classical Greeks define the human person as “a rational animal.” An animal’s
vegetative sensory and rational element is integrated within his/her being; thus he/she is a
material (body) and spiritual(soul) being. As a vegetative creature, the human person needs to
have food to grow, develop, and reproduce. As a sentient being, he/she needs sensory
perceptions to gain knowledge. As a rational animal, he/she needs the power of thought, reason,
and cognition.
Due to a person’s nobility and his/her special place in God’s kingdom, it is through him/her
that the rest of creation enter into a dialogue and relationship with the Supreme Being. Because
the human person is given free will to choose, decide, or shape his/her life, he/she is always
responsible for his/her action.
A human person is capable of knowing, loving, and believing, which leads him/her to be fully
aware of his/her humanity.
Sociological Views
A perspective is a particular way of looking at and seeing something. Salcedo (2004) states
that people look at his social world or at the various ways that human beings behave in a social
way. Hence, when we talk about society or the social world, we are really referring to the behavior
of the human beings.
This is not to say that all sociologists necessarily see the social world from exactly the same
perspective (or viewpoint); neither do they always agree about what they see, how behavior could
or should be understood, and so forth. As we will notice, the sociological perspective is made up
of a number of quite different sub-perspectives.
San Juan(2007) proposes some common ideas about the human person. These are the
following:
1. Human persons are social animals. We need to cooperate with others in some
way to create the social world in which to live.
2. The human person’s social behavior is learned, not instinctive. In this respect the
argument is that we have to learn, from the moment we were born, how to be not
just a human being but also a recognizable member of the society into which we
happen to have been born.
3. To understand the human person’s social behavior, we have to focus our attention
on the groups to which people belong. These groups are many and varied, but the
largest group to which people belong is a society.
4. Sociology is a discipline that looks into the totality of relationships in an
individual’s life. Sociologists do not restrict their studies to a single dimension of
an individual’s life (economics, politics, history, geography, psychology, and so
forth). Although each of these areas is significant and interesting in varying
degrees, it is only by looking at how these relationships affect each other that we
can arrive at a complete picture of human social behavior.
Sociologists do not reject the contributions of other social sciences. Sociology as an
academic discipline itself is based on the recognition that human beings are not one-dimensional
but rather multi-dimensional.
For example, in our society, people work (economic dimension), have the opportunity to vote
in elections (political dimension), and live in different areas of the country (geographic
dimension). What interests sociologists in this regard might be the relationship between these
three dimensions- how does the area in which people live affect the type of work they do and how
does the type of work they do affect how they vote elections?
If the sociological perspective differs from that provided by other social sciences, it is evident
that it also differs from a final perspective we have to consider, namely, that of naturalistic or
commonsensical explanation of the social world. Investigating some examples of
commonsensical ideas about the social world will allow us to demonstrate more effectively the
idea of a sociological perspective and show how sociology provides a greater understanding of
human behavior.
Hierarchy of Needs
The guiding principle in realizing a person’s competence and ability is the exploration of
his/her totality in the field of humanistic psychology, which theorizes that a person’s behavior and
his/her inner feelings and self-image.
Maslow presented the levels of hierarchy of needs in his theory of personality.
1. Physiological needs include the biological and basic needs such as water and clothing.
These needs are immensely important because they are essential for survival.
2. Safety needs include security and protection from physical and emotional harm.
3. Social needs include affection, sense of belonging, and friendship, which people seek to
overcome feelings of loneliness and alienation.
4. Self-esteem needs include achievement, mastery, and confidence derived from
recognition, respect and attention. When these needs are satisfied, the person feels
confident and valuable. However, when they are not met, the person may feel inferior,
weak, helpless, and worthless.
5. Self-actualization means a person has reached the peak of his/her potential.
SELF-
ACTUALIZATIO
N
SELF-ESTEEM
LOVE/BELONGING
SAFETY
PHYSIOLOGY
Maslow’s theory points out that a person needs to satisfy the lower needs before
realizing his/her self-worth ad potential. Accordingly, when the lower needs are not met, a person
cannot completely devote his/her time developing his/her full potential. He also maintains that
self-actualization is the driving force to human personality. Thus, a person cannot appreciate
intellectual and aesthetic learning when he/she is hungry or if he/she feels unsafe. Artistic and
scientific endeavors do not flourish in a society where people must struggle for food, shelter, and
safety. Self-actualization can only be achieved after all other needs are satisfied.
According to Roger’s person-centered therapy theory, every person has within
him/her an inherent desire for a positive transformation and the development of his/her
capacities. He/she possesses an innate goodness no matter how imprudent his/her actions are.
Based on this theory, the society should be a sounding board of reflections in life, so
that an individual can realize his/her problem and formulate solutions for it. However, it is the
individual who will eventually create his/her own path and not the people around him/her. He/she
is the only one qualified to choose the path that he/she should take. It may not always be smooth,
but that does not diminish his/her value as a person. A self-actualized person allows his/her
innate goodness to transform further. Only by understanding himself/herself first can he/she
effectively relate to others. Furthermore, every person must understand that he/she only exist in
this world transitorily. As such he/she should utilize his/her gifts and talents to reach his/her
goals and to help others realize their own worth as a person. He/she must take on the challenge
that Supreme Being has posed upon him/her.
Conclusion
It is basically difficult to understand the human person. He/she is described as having
physical, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual attributes, capable of knowing, loving, and
believing. Various Biblical, philosophical, classical, and sociological views and perspectives offer
essential insights into the human nature. Nevertheless, it boils down to the human person’s
relational character toward others called “service to his/her fellowmen.”
A person is a social being with various needs that have to be satisfied. This will enable
him/her to reach the peak of his/her potential, so that he/she could effectively relate with others
and be productive part of his community.