Understanding Philosophical Conceptions of Human Beings
Philosophical Conceptions of Human Beings
Body and Soul
The soul-body relationship has been a central debate throughout history, generating numerous perspectives.
Brain and Mind
The brain is crucial for understanding the human psyche. It’s a powerful system, akin to a complex computer.
Genetic engineering modifies embryonic cell information encoded in our genes.
Theories on the Brain and Mind
These theories can be categorized into three groups:
- Materialist Monism: The human psyche is explained as a result of brain development.
- Dualism: We are composed of both material (body) and immaterial (soul) elements.
- Theories Beyond Materialism and Dualism: These attempt to transcend the limitations of the previous two categories.
Monistic Materialist Theories
Originating with Democritus (5th century BC) and Epicurus (3rd century BC), key variants include:
- Materialism/Physicalism: Mental activities are physicochemical processes (cyber materialism).
- Emergent Materialism: The mental is not reducible to the physical, but emerges evolutionarily from it.
Dualistic Theories
We are composed of two elements: mind and brain, or soul and body.
- Platonic Dualism: The immaterial and immortal soul pre-exists the body, which is its material and mortal prison.
- Hylomorphism (Aristotle, Aquinas): Soul and body are complementary and inseparable. Matter cannot exist without form.
- Cartesian Dualism: Body (extended substance) and soul (thinking substance) are distinct.
- Interactionist Dualism (John C. Eccles): Mind and brain are distinct realities that interact, primarily in the cerebral cortex.
Beyond Monism and Dualism
- Emergentist Interactionism (Karl Popper): Mental acts exist; the mind is an emergent product of the brain. Three interacting worlds shape humans:
- World 1: Physical bodies (material).
- World 2: Mental states (consciousness, subconscious).
- World 3: Products of the human mind (stories, myths, science, etc.).
- Structures (Pedro Lain Entralgo): “Structure” better describes the mind-brain relationship. The mind emerges from the brain’s dynamic structure. Thinking, self-awareness, freedom, and creativity are explained by the whole (body and I).
Subject, Consciousness, History, and Life
Humans are subjects, not objects, capable of self-reflection (“Who am I?”). This is human consciousness, with two functions:
- Self-awareness
- Maintaining self-continuity
Self-consciousness is the ability to conceive possibilities. Each person creates their own history/biography within their historical life.
Reason and Feelings
The Animal with Logos (Aristotle)
“Logos” (reason) distinguishes humans from animals in several ways:
- Meaningful language use
- Social living
- Rational thinking
Reason and Rationality (Kant)
Various uses of reason (rationalities) exist.
Theoretical and Practical Reason
Theoretical reason seeks truth; practical reason seeks happiness. Practical reason addresses what cannot be otherwise and what can be.
Vital Historical Reason and Rationality
Reason is a historical product. For Ortega, vital reason is life itself as reason, essential for understanding.
Instrumental and Communicative Reason
Instrumental rationality seeks to control natural processes for human needs. Strategic rationality extends this to social relations (homo economicus). Communicative reason aims for agreement and consensus.
The Value of Feelings
Aristotle: Humans are intelligent beings with desires. Intellect identifies the right desire in each situation (prudence).
St. Augustine: Love is paramount (“Love and do what you want.”). Developing love is more important than developing reason.
Adam Smith: Ethics of sympathy; shared feelings among humans.
David Hume: Reason cannot motivate behavior.
Kant: Reason can motivate action; respect is a moral sentiment.
Cordial Reason
Truth and justice are discovered through both reason and emotions. Feelings like compassion and indignation are essential.
The Human Being as a Personal Being
The Concept of “Person”
Ancient and Medieval Roots
“Person” (Latin: persona, Greek: prosopon) means mask, suggesting character.
Tertullian: Person as a legal subject (rights and duties).
Boethius: Person as an individual substance of rational nature:
- Single substance
- Rational nature
Kantian Root
Personhood is linked to freedom and autonomy, granting dignity (“end in itself”).
Personalist Movement
Focuses on the human being as a person.
Being and Becoming a Person (Mounier)
- Existence: Persons have an inner self and can open to others.
- Communication: The first experience is of the second person; “you” precedes “self”.
- Conditional Freedom: Accepting freedom’s limitations as possibilities.
- Commitment: Identity is forged through commitments.
- Critical Capacity: Transforming the world based on convictions.
- Eminent Dignity: Persons hold the highest degree.
- Closeness and Friendship: Living in proximity and friendship, not domination.