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HUMAN 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.
Aristotleās Distinction of Voluntary
and Involuntary Actions
Vol r A ti
- These are acts originating from the
individual performing the act using
knowledge about the situations of the
act.
CLASSIFICATIONS OF
VOLUNTARY ACTIONS
Vol r
- actions are performed from will and
reason.
Rel to C l i
- It is considered as a mixture 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 donāt do it but they will
be murdered.
In o n y A i n
- 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.
INTELLECTUAL CHOICE VS
PRACTICAL CHOICE
In e l al C e
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.
Pra c C o c
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 the psychological aspect of
the person embroiled in the moral
situation or dilemma.
āExistence precedes
essenceā
- Jean Paul Sarte
Soren Kierkegaard
- Father of Existentialism
TWO LEVELS OF SELF-OTHER
INTERACTION
- The simple awareness of the existence of the other. When we see other people walking down the street, we are aware that there are other beings unique from us, and that they exist outside of our own awareness or perception.
- The awareness of the self as being seen by others. Imagine, for instance, that one of the people you are watching suddenly stops and looks straight at you. You are immediately aware of this personās action as an other ā this stranger is looking at your direction. Also, you are aware of another significant fact ā you know that the stranger, staring at you, is aware of you as a person. This self-consciousness is considered by philosophers as a defining characteristic of the self-other relationship. The unique phenomenon of the human gaze is considered a defining characteristic which sets apart human interaction from the interaction of other species. Also, the awareness of the āself in the otherā is an important element in all other aspects of interpersonal interactions. The way we act with other people is often influenced by our ideals of how these people see us. Therefore, if we have the idea that our parents think of us as quiet and obedient, we often act that way with them. However, when we are with our friends and we think that they see us as outgoing and boisterous, we also adjust our behavior to conform with how we think they expect us to act. This is also true when considering social contexts; how we behave in church is different from our behavior in a lively party.
Se m
These actions are referred to as seeming ā where an individual presents himself nor herself in a certain way when dealing with others. Persons take on ārolesā or act out characters when dealing with certain people or when in certain situations. This is considered as an unconscious, natural act on the part of humans.
Di l u
Humans to strive to achieve deeper and gain more substantial interactions and relations with other people. This deeper and more genuine interaction is called a dialogue, and this is made possible when the self realizes that the other is a genuine and unique individual. When two individuals begin to view each other as an other
- that is, truly acknowledging each otherās presence ā then that is the beginning of an authentic relationship and a dialogue. A dialogue is an interaction between persons that happens through speech or the use of words, expressions, and body language. The person is a being who is open to others, and is capable of receiving others in a dialogue. A dialogue occurs when two persons āopen upā to each other and 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 otherās presence as a true person is defined by the acceptance of each otherās uniqueness and differences. When each individual enters into a dialogue with this mind set, then it is truly a dialogue between equals. Whilst in the I-Thou relation two beings meet and dialogue, in the I-It relation entities meet but fail to establish a dialogue. Instead, in the I-It relation a being confronts another being and, by objectifying it, fails to recognize it as an equal. That is, in the I-It relation an individual being treats things, including people, as objects to be used and experienced: they are a means to an end. We live in this worldly reality and require, to some extent, to manipulate nature, e.g. seek resources to fulfil our needs and sometimes to use people as a means to an end, e.g. take a taxi from A to B. The I-It relation fulfils our basic needs.
ASPECTS OF INTERSUBJECTIVITY
Alienation Not all human interactions, however, are positive. There are those who view other people negatively and consider human action as being influenced by selfish interests. This pessimistic view considers human relationships frustrating and often inauthentic or deceptive. A person that adopts this negative view is said to be experiencing alienation. This arises when a person ceases to view the other as a distinct and authentic person, and merely considers the other person as a mere object or a means to satisfy personal interests. HELEN KELLER Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 ā June 1,
- was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer. Born in West Tuscumbia, Alabama, she lost her sight and her hearing after a bout of illness at the age of 19 months. She then communicated primarily using home signs until the age of seven, when she met her first teacher and life-long companion Anne Sullivan. NICHOLAS JAMES VUJICIC An Australian American Christia evangelist and motivational speaker of Serbian descent, born with tetra-amelia syndrome a rare disorder characterised by the absence of arms and legs. ROSELLE AMBUBUYOG
a feudal society, rules grant their followers or vassals the right to manage parcels of land. These vassals, in turn, are served by peasant workers who cultivate the land and tend to the animals in the farms. In return for their services, they are provided with military protection. Members of society are organized based on status. Those who own land are considered the most powerful and influential members of society, while the peasants are considered the lowest group.
In u t Soc i
An industrial society is based on the use of specialized machinery in the production of goods and services. The advances in science and technology in the late 18th century resulted in the Industrial Revolution, which in turn gave rise to new production and industrial methods, as well as innovations in transportation and communication. These technological advances resulted in improved trade and commerce and better life conditions, for many people. Work is done in factories and public education is more prevalent. However, the emergence of industrial societies is characterized by greater inequalities in wealth, power, and influence. Industrial societies are often defined by the nature of work and the prevailing industry in an area. The capitalists or business owners are considered the most influential. This type of society is also characterized by cultural diversity and the presence of bureaucratic forms of organization.
Pos -In u t Soc i
The post-industrial society is marked by the establishment of societies based on knowledge, information, and the sale of services. Led by the human mind and aided by highly advanced technology, the trend has shifted from industry to the generation, storage, manipulation, and sale of information. Information influences the behavior of people and has thus become a very important commodity in post-industrial society. Members of this society have higher educational attainment, better training, and specialized roles. The virtual society, where people organize themselves through communication technology and the Internet, is a product of post-industrial society. Individuals in a virtual society often engage in complex relationships. They often have fluid identities and do not necessarily subscribe to certain norms or established standards of behavior. 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.
Nor
An important way that society influences us is its ability to define the relationships and interactions among its members. Society influences the interactions of its members through the establishment of NORMS, which are a set of traits and behavior that society considers acceptable, and are thus encouraged and passed on to other members. Now, think of all the rules and traditions that have been in place in our society for a long time. How have these rules influenced our knowledge? What rule in our society would result in chaos if it were changed? LAWS are more formal and stringent norms that establish and define acceptable behavior of citizens. FOLKWAYS are less formal norms that arise from tradition and do not result in punishment when violated. Norms, laws, and other rules that regulate human interactions give rise to a SOCIAL SYSTEM , which is an organized or patterned set of relationships among individuals and groups that compose a society. Members of society act and interact with an established social system. Each member is assigned a social role, which are actions and behaviors expected for a certain individual. Individuals who share similar backgrounds or perform similar roles are grouped together into social groups and social classes. Certain groups that perform vital functions in society are
recognized as SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS , and these include the family, school, government, and religion. Our lives are a continuous interaction with different social classes, groups, and social institutions. These relationships contribute to shaping our view of the world and defining our identity. Another way society shapes us is through SOCIAL VALUES , which are actions or ideals that are considered important by society. Values such as cooperation, obedience to the law, concern for others, and respect for others are considered vital to maintaining an orderly society. A society that upholds positive social values will influence its members to uphold these positive values. On the other hand, a society that is defined by negative values will, in turn, produce individuals who embody these negative values.
