PREPARED BY: MICHEL DELA CRUZMAED – EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENTBATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

MAN: A MODERN PERSPECTIVE

MAN possessed the highest level of development characterized especially by a highly developed intellect, has achieved and enjoys his present stature because of his innate natural endowments and capabilities. Because of this inherent gifts from nature, he is able to choose and make sound judgments.

The modern upright man is a man who participates actively in the total processes of social interaction in the society to be a better place to live in.

Interpersonal Relation and Effective Participation is through:

The improvement of basic knowledge Intellectual and manual skills Power of reason and criticism Acquisition of desirable values, attitudes

and motivations

Power of creativity and innovation Cultural appreciation A sense of responsibility understanding of the modern world

MORAL ASSUMPTION OF MAN’S NATURE Man, as a social being, is born into the

company of others and attains his full stature only by engaging in activities in the society.

Some philosophical thinkers believe that man is essentially a lonely creature.

(Man is essentially alone and irredeemably lost. –Mijuscovic)

(When we are born we cry,and that cry is the cry of loneliness. –Powys)

Others believe that man becomes himself only through social, political and religious institutions.

Existentialists believe that institutions are taking humanity out of a human beings and that each person must strive to be himself and to find his own destiny through existence.

Educators maintain that the distinguishing characteristic of man is his rational faculty; and therefore, all educational purposes should lead to the development of his power to reason, to discriminate between what is right and what is wrong.

Since man is created in the image of God, and God is infinitely good with a noble intention about his creation, man’s nature is inferentially unquestionably good.

This assumption is upheld by Rousseau who asserts that, by nature,

man is good.(In his early writing, Rousseau contended that man is

essentially good, a "noble savage" when in the "state of nature" (the state of all the other animals, and the condition man was in before the creation of civilization and society), and that good people are made unhappy and corrupted by their experiences in society. He viewed society as "artificial" and "corrupt" and that the furthering of society results in the continuing unhappiness of man. )

If he becomes evil, perhaps it is because he virtually succumbs to the forces of evil that influence him. Since man has the power of the will; judgment will depend on him. It is “nature of man to make and remake himself by his free acts of choice.”

CAN MAN’S NATURE BE MODIFIED OR CHANGED?

“Human nature is undoubtedly the most plastic of the living world, the most adaptable, the most

educable.” –William Ernest Hocking

It is in this context that the nature of man can really be changed; to wit:

1. Studies of children that are isolated for a long period from other fellowmen human beings showed that they do not develop a healthy and balanced personality. This is because the elements of culture.

e.g., language, art, values and customs and traditions which are essential to man’s existence are not felt and shared.

2. Education from the sociological perspective is “the consciously controlled process whereby changes in the person and through the person, occur. It means a deliberate process which is specifically directed to produce change.”

3. There are other similar studies on delinquents and inmates in rehabilitation centers which provided sufficient evidence that human behavior in response to external stimuli can be corrected.

What conditions and circumstances make man become vulnerable to evil?

How can he fight the forces of evil in the society?

THE PROBLEM OF EVIL

Some social thinkers hypothize that the problems of evil are the results of man’s greed, selfishness, arrogance, rapacious desires, excessive desire for wealth, avarice, and extreme obsession for something.

Man’s nature is essentially tainted with evil is the doctrine that the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, have sinned. (Genesis 3:1-6)

Man’s nature is susceptible to succumb to evil is viewed by economist that he is essentially corrupt and selfish since his behavior and attitude are determined, to great extent, by the desire to gain a big profit and to accumulate wealth for himself.

For biologist, evil is a part of man’s existence because “he inherits a great array of fixed instincts acquired in the struggle for existence and sheer survival; he must be expected to exhibit all the animal tendencies.

THE HIGHEST GOOD

The highest good is perceived by different people in different ways.

- being at oneself, with one’s fellowmen, and with God

- clarity of mind- being of service to humanity

In serving humanity, the highest good, is one that gives the greatest good, benefits, and happiness to the greatest number of people, especially the good for every individual in society. What may be good to some may be bad to others.

Highest Good If there are more advantages than

disadvantages for the greatest number When there are more members of a

society who accept than those who reject the thing that is considered good or bad based on the universal standard

When one’s service benefits the greatest number of humanity, then he becomes happy and becomes at peace with himself, with his fellowmen, and with God

MAN’S SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS

What is the meaning of happiness?

Do all men seek happiness?

Where is happiness found?

HAPPY – someone favored by fortune, one to whom good things happen

- someone who is fortunate, lucky, successful, satisfied, cheerful or glad.

According to the philosophers, happiness is not a passing feeling, or emotion such as gladness, but is a lasting state of being.

Happiness is the concious state of satisfaction or fulfillment accompanying the possession of the good.

“Happiness is the perfect good which lulls the appetite altogether.” – St. Thomas

Perfect happiness fully satisfies all our desires; and this is attained from the possession and attainment of what one considers good. A happy life is a life which has a good ending, the possession of

everything he can call GOOD.

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS!!

Prepared by:

Michel A. Dela Cruz

Ecclesiastes 3:12I know that there is nothing better for men

than to be happy and do good while they live.