HUMAN PERSON as

EMBODIED SPIRIT

GIAN CARLO C. VILLAGRACIA

General Mariano Alvarez Technical HS 12
 TO THE LEARNERS

Here are some reminders as you use this module:

 Use the module with care especially in turning each page.
 Be reminded to answer the Pre-Test before moving on to the
Learning Module.
 Read and comprehend the directions in every exercises.
 Observe honesty in answering the tests and exercises.
 Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of this
material.
 Try to finish a given activity before proceeding to the next.
 12
Introduction to
the Philosophy
of the
Human Person
Aristotle’s Act and Potency

GIAN CARLO C. VILLAGRACIA

Copyright 2019

1
 WHAT IS THIS MODULE ALL ABOUT?

This module serves as a learning resource material in understanding the

target competency expected in the curriculum.

TOPIC
Aristotle’s Act and Potency

CONTENT STANDARD
The learner understands the human person as an embodied spirit

PERFORMANCE STANDARD
The learner distinguishes his/her own limitations and the possibilities
for his/her transcendence

LEARNING COMPETENCY
PPT11/12-If-3.1: Recognize own limitations and possibilities

The presented activities or exercises and texts are developed

in order to meet the following objectives:

1. Describe Aristotle’s Act and Potency

2. Illustrate the ideal person according to Aristotle

3. Discover potentials derived from the limitations of the self

2
 PRE-TEST

Read the following items carefully. Write the

letter of your answer in a separate sheet of
paper.

1. Plato’s most famous student – argued that the body and soul of a
human person is inseparable.

A. St. Thomas Aquinas

B. Aristotle
C. Socrates
D. Descartes

2. The first principle of Aristotle’s concept of the embodied spirit is that a

Human person’s body and soul are_____________________

A. Inseparable
B. Separable
C. Vague realities
D. Limited

3. It is principle which actualizes a thing and makes a thing what it is

A. Matter
B. Potency
C. Form
D. Act

4. It is the potentiality to receive a form

A. Matter
B. Potency
C. Form
D. Act

5. The function of the soul that we share with plants is called

A. Intellection
B. Potentiality
C. Sensation
D. Nutrition

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6. The function of the soul that we share with animals is called

A. Intellection
B. Potentiality
C. Sensation
D. Nutrition

7. The function of the soul that only human beings are capable of

A. Intellection
B. Potentiality
C. Sensation
D. Nutrition

8. What does Aristotle wants us to realize?

A. We must balance the three functions of the soul

B. We must always use our sensation
C. We must learn to think and nothing else
D. We must be fruitful in illogical way

9. How are going to live your life to the fullest in accordance with
Aristotle’s notion of the embodied spirit?

A. Live happy and follow only your heart every single day
B. Our rationality controls over our lives
C. Let others feel inferior to you
D. Make or break, it’s up to you

10. What is the best life lesson you have learned in this life?

A. The heart is the sole factor for life decision

B. Limitations are hindrance to your success
C. Possibilities are ironically indeed impossibilities
D. The mind and heart must go all the way together

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 REWINDING THE PAST

Do you still remember about Plato’s concept of the human

body? Fill up the boxes with the functions and virtues of each
particular part. Tell us your insight about it!

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 PLAYING THE CONCEPT

Aristotle followed the footsteps of his profound teacher. He

contemplated as well in a discourse about the concept of the body and soul.
But this time, his philosophy is far different from how he looked at a human
being. Aristotle argues that there is a certain relationship between the body
and the soul – something that is inseparable!

Let us examine this figure below:

For Aristotle, the body and soul are inseparable in such a way that a
human being is a composition of both form and matter. According to
Vinzons, form is the “principle which actualizes a thing and makes a thing
what it is” while the matter is the “potentiality to receive a form.” Form is
always seen as an act and matter is its potency. In a nutshell, a being is
composed primarily of these form and matter that undergoes a process of
having a genuine act that leads to a lot of potentialities. This process of act
and potency is inseparable because all beings have their own potentials, and
of course, owning an actual existence.

As we look into the concept of the human person as embodied spirit,

Aristotle teaches us that we, humans, are capable to a lot of potencies – we
can create our own essences and it will never be separated from our
existence. To better understand this, let us try to do an activity!

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 PAUSE AND TRY AN ACTIVITY

Materials needed:
 One short bond paper
 Scissors
 Match stick or Lighter
 Water
 Pen or pencil

Let’s do a scientific experiment! Follow the instructions below:

1. Cut the paper into three equal parts.

2. Separate the papers and label each piece with names and do the
following tasks: (Sample #1, Sample #2, and Sample #3)

Sample #1 Sample #2 Sample #3

Use the lighter to burn the Drench the second paper into a
first piece of paper. glass of water for 30 seconds
Write down your then place it in a smooth
surface. Rub the wet paper then
observations:
write down your observations:
Use scissors to cut the third
paper into tiny little pieces, up
to the point where one is not
larger than the other. Write
down your observations:

3. After doing the previous act, compare each papers and write
down the details of your comparison:
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

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 PAUSE AND ANALYZE THE ACTIVITY

Sample #1 Sample #2

Sample #3

When you observe the three pieces of paper, they actually turned into
three different forms. They all come from a single matter, which is a paper.
But then, this matter has a lot of potentials to become another form with a
distinct actuality of being another matter.

Sample #1 manifested an act and potency process which turned a

paper into ashes. An ash is not a paper anymore – the substance of the
paper has a potential to become an ash, and that ash has a different
substance already. (same thing that happened with sample #2 and #3.)

So what’s the point when we speak about the matter and form of a
human being? Let’s find out!

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 PLAYING THE CONCEPT ONCE AGAIN!

Aristotle’s concept of the human

person is a manifestation of limitations and
possibilities both at the same time and
manner. A human person is limited
because of his/her body or the matter that
exists in a certain period of time – not
immortal, may perish soon. On the other
hand, a human person has potentials
because his/her soul makes the person
possible to become what he/she wants to
be. The soul or the form has three different
functions according to Aristotle:

Nutrition Sensation Intellection

A function that
A function A function that separates us
that we we share with from all other
beings and
other animals –
share with the animal makes us
plants instinct supreme
rationally

A human person has three basic essences.

First is the nutritive essence which explains that sooner or later we’ll
be like plants, just another form under the food chain. When a human
person dies, the body can longer be called as a “human” but just a “cadaver”
or a dead body, no longer capable of the two other essences.
Second, the sensation essence explains our animal instinct – the
faculty of senses that we are capable of. In this essence, when sensation
function rules over the two essences, man seems to level himself to an
animal that doesn’t use intellect – just pure senses, the hunger for the
desires of the flesh.
Third, the essence of rationality is the supreme potential of a human
person. Intellection helps the human being to perform the two other
essences in an ethical way. Intellection controls over the matter and form of
man: thus, making man the highest form of being beneath the earth’s
surface – the only one who thinks logically and critically.

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 LET’S STOP AND APPLY WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED

Aristotle wants us to realize these things:

1. Limitations are just limitations!

a. We, humans, are far beyond our limitations because our
imperfections may always lead us to a lot of potentialities,
IF AND ONLY IF we use our RATIONALITY (intellection).
b. Limitation is an inescapable reality, that’s why it is up to
us on how we are going to live our live to the fullest.

2. That the head is above our hearts!

a. We can see literally that our heads are up above our chest,
which metaphorically manifests that Intellect is far
superior to the desire of our Heart.
b. Trouble may occur when we decide with our heart, so as
they say, “Do not make a decision at the peak of your
emotion.”
c. Our rationality must control the desire of our hearts

3. To be an ideal human person is to balance the scale!

a. Body and soul are realities that are inseparable, therefore
to become an ideal human being is to establish stability of
the three functions of the soul – one may not surpass the
other, but goes together as one.

4. Trust the process!

a. When things go down on us, let us not make-or-break,
rather we should always aim for success and not focus on
failures
b. The process of being a better person may be difficult to
handle, but Aristotle wants us to know that it is completely
normal – before a diamond reaches its perfection, it
endures a lot of cutting and polishing.
c. Our goal is to be good. If the process may hurt us, let us
remember that goodness comes when pain subsides – only
the mind can understand that the pain is part of the
process.

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 POST-TEST

Read the following items carefully. Write the

letter of your answer in a separate sheet of
paper.

1. Plato’s most famous student – argued that the body and soul of a
human person is inseparable.

A. St. Thomas Aquinas

B. Aristotle
C. Socrates
D. Descartes

2. The first principle of Aristotle’s concept of the embodied spirit is that a

Human person’s body and soul are_____________________

A. Inseparable
B. Separable
C. Vague realities
D. Limited

3. It is principle which actualizes a thing and makes a thing what it is

A. Matter
B. Potency
C. Form
D. Act

4. It is the potentiality to receive a form

A. Matter
B. Potency
C. Form
D. Act

5. The function of the soul that we share with plants is called

A. Intellection
B. Potentiality
C. Sensation
D. Nutrition
6. The function of the soul that we share with animals is called

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 A. Intellection
B. Potentiality
C. Sensation
D. Nutrition

7. The function of the soul that only human beings are capable of

A. Intellection
B. Potentiality
C. Sensation
D. Nutrition

8. What does Aristotle wants us to realize?

A. We must balance the three functions of the soul

B. We must always use our sensation
C. We must learn to think and nothing else
D. We must be fruitful in illogical way

9. How are going to live your life to the fullest in accordance with
Aristotle’s notion of the embodied spirit?

A. Live happy and follow only your heart every single day
B. Our rationality controls over our lives
C. Let others feel inferior to you
D. Make or break, it’s up to you

10. What is the best life lesson you have learned in this life?

A. The heart is the sole factor for life decision

B. Limitations are hindrance to your success
C. Possibilities are ironically indeed impossibilities
D. The mind and heart must go all the way together

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 LET’S REPLAY!

 Body and soul are inseparable

 The body is the matter, the soul is the form

 The matter undergoes the process of having a lot of potentialities to

reach a certain actuality of being

 A new form is an actuality of a new matter

 The human has limitations and possibilities, like having matter and
form

 A human person has three basic essence/function:

o Nutrition function - Plants

o Sensation function - Animals
o Intellection function - Humans only

 The human person has a desire to become an ideal on and that is only
possible when rationality rules over the other functions

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 Answer Key

Pre-Test

1. B
2. A
3. C
4. A
5. D
6. C
7. A
8. A
9. B
10. D

Post-Test

1. B
2. A
3. C
4. A
5. D
6. C
7. A
8. A
9. B
10. D

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 REFERENCES

Vinzons, M. P. (2016). Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon City: Vibal Group,
Inc.

Media Sources

https://www.gograph.com/clipart/cartoon-human-body-silhouette-with-brain-and-heart-
gg99433539.html

http://www.supercoloring.com/silhouettes/male-body

https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ocr-philosophy-of-religion-unit-1-philosophical-language-
and-thought-plato-11976904

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 This module maybe adopted, modified and
reproduced for educational purposes with appropriate
credit to the author.
For inquiries, feedback and suggestions, please
contact the author through the Division Learning
resource Supervisor at Tel. No. _________________ and/or
email address ________________ @deped.gov.ph

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