THE HUMAN PERSON IN SOCIETY Handout

1. How individuals form societies?

The person is by nature a social being because he or she has the tendency to go out of himself or herself
to form bonds and relationships with others.

 The fact that we do not need to do our activities alone.

 The experiences of an individual as he/she grows through interactions with other people
in different settings.

 The natural desire for goodness

 Pursuit of a common goal
 The human desire to achieve the goal of survival
 The concept of common good
2. What is society?

- organized group of people whose members interact frequently and have a common territory and
culture

- companionship or friendly association with others, an alliance, a community, or a union

3. What are the different forms of societies?

Hunting and Gathering Society

 earliest and simplest form of society

 small size
 composed mainly of families
 nomadic Pastoral Society
 domestication of animals for food
 have larger populations than hunting and gathering societies
 remain longer in one place
 produce surplus food and resources Horticultural Society
 small-scale cultivation of plants, fruits, and vegetables and the domestication of animals
 semi-nomadic
 similar to the pastoral society, there is also a surplus of goods
 assignment of tasks and occupations were often based on gender Agrarian or Agricultural Society
 a further evolution of the pastoral and horticultural societies
 large-scale and long-term cultivation of crops and domestication of animals
 have improve technology and the use of tools to aid in farming
 have increased production, giving rise to a growing population Feudal Society
 based on the ownership of land
 Organized based on status
 Social relations: dependence
-Lord depends vassals’ resources. Vassals depend peasants’ service. Peasants depend vassals’ protection
Industrial Society

 use of specialized machinery in the production of goods and services

 technological advances brought about by industrial revolution resulted in improved trade and commerce
 greater inequalities in wealth, power, and influence
 people interact with individuals from different social settings Post-Industrial Society
 based on knowledge, information, and the sale of services
 led by human mind, aided by highly advance technology
 generation, storage, manipulation, and sale of information
 members of society: have higher educational attainment, better training and specialized roles Virtual
Society

 organized people through communication technology and internet

 a product of a post-industrial society
 engage in a complex relationships
 do not necessarily subscribe to certain norms or established standards of behavior
4. How individuals are transformed by societies?

It is through our interactions with other individuals and institutions that we begin to adopt the traits,
traditions, and characteristics.

 Experiencing a variety of relationships

 Interactions within society
 Society and its various aspects provide support that ensures the development of the human
person.

-education, opportunities, unique traits and characteristics

  You adopt the prevailing culture, identity, values, ideas, and knowledge of the persons, groups,
and communities that surround us.

 The various groups and institutions in society that have contributed to our identity as a person.
 The interactions with your family, friends, schoolmates, teachers, and other people in
your community have all left inedible marks on your identity.

 Its ability to define the relationships and interactions among its members.
 Society influences the interactions of its members through the establishments of norms.
 Our continuous interactions and relations with different social classes, groups, and social
institutions contribute to shaping our view of the world and defining our identity.

 The historical development of society has brought about significant changes in the way human
beings relate to each other.

 Society shapes us is through social values, which are actions or ideals that are considered
important and vital to maintaining an orderly society.

 Other aspects of society that contribute to the formation of the individual include language,
religion, and historical events.

5. How does society enable me to become a better person?

As much as we are influenced by our surroundings, our physical limits, and our society, our personhood
still provides us an opportunity to transcend and define ourselves on our own terms.

Society recognizes the capability of the person to develop, and provides its members with
opportunities to better themselves.

 Effective and efficient public service, education, and the maintenance of peace and order
ensures productive lives and realize our potential.

 Various institutions and groups develop well-adjusted and productive members,

promote individual dignity of persons and guarantees that they are able to live harmoniously
with others

 Social systems ensures welfare of the person in society.

Apart from choosing not to be fully defined by society, Persons can also undertake to contribute to
society through their decisions and actions.

 A person can contribute to a social change by enacting and upholding his or her social
responsibilities well.

Upholding common good and welfare in respective societies.

 support democratic values

 cooperate with members of the community and other institutions
  uphold values and goals of their respective societies
 continues to be oriented toward what is good and beneficial for all
An individual’s actions can also cause great changes in society.

 Numerous opportunities provided nowadays by improved technology and access to

information, have given ordinary people (non-political/non-influential) the means to be
sources of social change themselves.

Another way that individuals can bring about social change is by organizing themselves into groups
that advocate certain causes.

 The concerted effort of many groups often bring about a social movement, which is a large-
scale action done by various groups and organizations in pursuit of a common goal to bring
about change.

Answers to tests from the book:

Society is an organized group of people whose members interact frequently and have a common
territory and culture.

Common good refers to the social conditions which enable persons and groups to fulfill their goals and
achieve perfection.

Social contract is an agreement among individuals to sacrifice some of their wants and submit to a
higher authority.

Thomas Hobbes believes that mankind is governed by desire which leads to conflict among individuals.

John Locke believes that society is organized based on the “consent of the governed”.

John Rawls believes that humans naturally seek a just and fair society because of self-interest.

Norms are a set of traits and behavior that society considers acceptable and are encouraged and passed
on to other members.

Social system is an organized or patterned set of relationships among individuals and groups that
compose a society.

Social groups are composed of individuals who have similar backgrounds and perform similar roles in
society.

Social values are actions or things that are considered important by society.

Hunting and gathering society earliest and simplest form of society. This society is generally small in size
and is composed of families.

Pastoral society primarily relies on the domestication of animals for food.

Horticultural society engages in the small-scale cultivation of plants.

Agrarian or Agricultural society features large-scale and long term cultivation of crops and
domestication of animals.

Feudal society is based on the ownership of land. In this society, those who own land are considered
most powerful and influential.

Industrial society uses machinery in producing goods and services.

Post-industrial society is based on knowledge, information, and the sale of services. This society has
given rise to virtual society.

Summary:

• Society was brought about by the human desire to relate with others. Society is considered a
product of deliberate actions by individuals who come together in pursuit of a common goal.

• Society greatly influences the individual, as it determines to a certain extent a person’s identity.
Society makes possible the emergence of certain individualities, which are the result of the
person’s interaction with other members of society.

• Philosophers consider society as a product of the “social contract”, where individuals decide to
sacrifice personal interest and submit to a higher authority. Society is also rooted in the
concepts of the common good and general welfare, which refers to social conditions that
enable persons and groups to fulfill their goals and achieve well-being.

• Various forms of society have emerged throughout human history. These societies have given
rise to specific individualities that were defined by the nature of human relations prevalent
within those societies.

• Apart from defining individualities, society also influences the person by defining the
relationships that its members are able to engage in. Society is able to define relationships and
interactions among its members through norms, the establishment of a social system, and by
upholding social values.

• Society provides opportunities for its members to grow and achieve well-being. Through its
various institutions, society endeavors to develop well- adjusted and productive members that
can make significant contributions to society. In turn, individuals uphold the common good and
work to bring about positive changes in society