THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE ENVIRONMENT

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THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE ENVIRONMENT

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives

4.0 International License.

Student Name: ________________________________________ Year & Section: ____________

Date Answer Sheets were Submitted: _____________________ Teacher: Dr. Eric Agustin____

Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person:

An Examined Life is (Perhaps) Worthwhile

MODULES 7 & 8 for Weeks 7 & 8: 

THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE ENVIRONMENT

MELC-based Weeks 7 & 8

Learning Objectives (What a student needs to know)

In this module’s content standards, the student (“YOU”) should understand the interplay between humans and their environments. In addition, under this module’s performance standards, the learner should demonstrate the virtues of prudence and frugality towards his/her environment. 

The most essential competencies are for you to: 

(4.1) Notice things that aren’t in their proper place and organize them in an aesthetic way; 

(4.2) Show that care for the environment contributes to health, well-being and sustainable development; and, 

(4.3) Demonstrate the virtues of prudence and frugality towards environments.

Lesson Proper (What’s new?)

Introduction: The Human Person and Environment

In the previous module on the human person as an embodied spirit, the human spirit is housed in his/her immediately environment known as the human physical body. Without the human spirit, the body is dead; whereas, without the human body, there is no vessel for an earthly body – so to speak based on commonly-held beliefs by many people -whether from a personal, religious, or other belief systems.

In relation to the above statements and by implication, the human person’s embodied spirit has its proximate environment that extend beyond the senses, such as sense of touch, sense of seeing, and so on. In other words, everything outside the human body is an external environment where other human species, flora, fauna, and inanimate objects live and reside. From a general point of view, everything can be related to everything else, that is, from one species to another, from one setting to another milieu, and so on. The interconnectedness of everything there is, whether directly or indirectly, is evident from the way super-elementary particles, to the known cosmos up to the still unknown frontiers to humankind, is what before our mind and imagination. 

Specifically, in this module, the highlights of the lessons will be more on caring for the environment and the benefits derived from doing so by human beings. When individuals and people are compassionately cautious about the influence of their decisions and actions toward the environment, repercussions to such caring actions is what tantamount to advantageous human conditions such as, good health, wellbeing, and sustainable development. Much of the latter 3 benefits will be discussed in details below:

Environment-Caring is Self-Caring:

For Human Health, Well-Being, and Sustainable Development

Caring for the environment as it relates to caring for oneself, one’s kind, other species, and the environment itself is the focus of environmental philosophy. Since it is claimed that the human species is the steward of the environment, individuals and people have the obligation to use, change, and reuse, while at the same time, take good care of the environment as they make good use of it. Human beings are thus the most valuable species in this planet despite being dependent on other living and nonliving organisms for their sustenance and survival. As such, the human species have to be concerned, take good charge, and treat humanely their surroundings. 

Some of the common ways to help protect, conserve and preserve the environment, include but are not limited to the following:

1. Use environment-friendly materials, such as biodegradable plastics, paper straw, etc.
2. Save water, electricity, and other non-renewable resources
3. Plant trees by volunteering, using apps to gain rewards points in exchange for an organization to plant your trees for you, and the like
4. Practice waste segregation at all times, whether at home, in the park, school, and other places
5. Ride a bike, use public transport, or car pool instead of always driving your own private car
6. Do online transactions as much as possible to save paper, ink, etc.

When human beings care for their environment, the environment will care for them in return – directly or indirectly. With less forest plantations cut due to kaingin system, deforestation, wild fires, etc., trees and related species in the forest will help prevent flooding, mudslides, and windstorms from nearby communities. Saving water and electricity will help save extra-consumptions of fossil fuels that run hydroelectric power plants especially during long dry seasons. When human beings aid in or replace deforested areas with seedlings and trees, the mountains are not exposed to too much sunlight because of the forest canopies that protect the soil underneath; hence, prevent forest soil from eroding and becoming sediments in river banks and other water channels. There are other things worth doing to save the environment and your contributions, no matter how big or small, will go a long way for your loved ones and generations to come.

Since we have equated environment-caring to self-caring in this subtopic, how do the 2 relate to human health, well-being, and sustainable development (HWS)? According to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals Fund (SDGF), there is an interdependence/interplay among human health, wellbeing, and sustainable development. In view of SDGF’s 17 goals, for instance, the following impact on HWS: goal 1 (no poverty); goal 2 (no hunger); goal 3 (health and wellbeing); goal 6 (water and sanitation); goal 7 (affordable and clean energy); goal 11 (sustainable cities and communities); goal 12 (responsible consumption, production); goal 13 (climate action); goal 14 (life below water); and goal 15 (life on land). Indirectly, the other goals not listed in the preceding sentence are also as important as all the other goals combined. It is thus important to consider interlocal and international local polices, advocacies, and related movements to achieve constantly cared environmental actions.

Prudence towards the Environment 

Prudence can be defined as wise, self-governing and self-disciplining ability of a person. As a prudent individual, he/she uses correct judgment and skill in utilizing resources. Moreover, when someone is prudent, he/she is circumspect or cautious concerning risk, danger, and problems in his/her, and even other people’s, decisions, actions, and inactions. Further, when you are prudent, wise or practically judicious, you first take into consideration both the short-term and long-term effects of your actions by means of hyperopic and directed goal setting/planning. An example of prudence toward the environment is when you bring your previously bought biodegradable bag when going to the grocery store so that, not only you save money buying a new grocery bag for bulk orders, but also minimizing the payment for additional bags and just storing them at home or disposing them when no longer needed.

Frugality towards the Environment 

Frugality towards the environment means positive, proper and careful use of resources, as well as, live simply and economically even before the needs arise. Being environmentally frugal include the judicious use of, not only of scarce, resources but also reusing and recycling materials, and reducing wastes. Apparently, there is a similitude between being frugal and being prudent. They are, in short, akin to each other. In most cases, you cannot do away with the other. For instance, in the above example on prudence toward the environment, you wisely re-used a grocery bag because it will save you money instead of buying a new one; hence, you are a wise (prudent) saver (frugal). Doing so also redounds to other things, such as being a good example saving money for your future need, no matter how insignificant your action may be in the present moment. Such action, as mentioned above, since everything is associated to everything else, is beyond comprehension to list all the consequent gains from prudence and frugality.

B. Written Task(Quiz)

Instruction: Choose the correct or “best” answer by encircling your letter of choice. 

1. Which of the following scenarios manifests prudence towards the environment?

1. Ordering extra rice that you cannot completely consume in a fast food restaurant
2. Going to school by walking or bicycling instead of commuting when your house is just a few meters from your school 
3. Binge watching your favorite show every weekend instead of tending your garden
4. Copying and pasting works over the internet to submit as if they were yours

2. Your friends have new smartphones this December. You have an old one and it is still a fully functional smartphone. Since you have extra money to spend for a newly released phone, which of your friends below is giving you the most prudent and frugal advice: 

1. Sally told you to spend your extra money for you to belong to your friends’ circle.
2. Anna insisted that you buy the new phone and dispose of your old smartphone.
3. Jane suggested that you can still use your old phone and save your money for more important purchases later on.
4. Sandie requested you to just give your old phone to him and then you purchase a new one.

3. Which of the following contributes to environmental disorder?

1. Heavy traffic that causes air pollution to the environment.
2. Waste disposal in nearby city rivers.
3. Deforestation, illegal mining, and dynamite fishing.
4. All of the above.

4. Statement 1: Environmental caring is self-caring. Statement 2: Environmental caring has nothing to do with human health, wellbeing, and sustainable development. Choose:

1. Statement 1 is true.
2. Statement 2 false.
3. Both are true.
4. Neither are true.

5. What is environmental philosophy?

1. It is the worldview where human beings have to take care of their surroundings for the good of humankind, other living organisms, and the world as a whole.
2. It is the belief that everything is related to everything else so we must do whatever we want.
3. It is a global perspective where the environment is of foremost importance and everything else is secondary to it.
4. It is the study on how to make full exploitation of the environment without consideration to sustainable development.

6. Among the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which does not belong?

1. Health and wellbeing; water and sanitation
2. Affordable and clean energy; climate action
3. Responsible consumption, production; life on land
4. None of the above

7. Choose which is/are (an) example/s of frugality:

1. Instead of buying expensive items online, Jeremy saves his extra money for future financial emergencies.
2. Going out with friends is not Marj’s priority these days; instead, the money she earns from her side job she invests/trades in forex.
3. Joshua, whose parents are both persons with special needs/are differently-abled, pays for their social security system (SSS) contributions for more than 10 years now.
4. All of the above

8. Which of the following demonstrate/s prudence towards the environment?

1. Before buying a car, Jane weighed the pros and cons of an old over a brand-new car.
2. Despite the global pandemic, Haizle invested in a fully-furnished condo and have it leased. She will have a return on investment in less than 20 years.
3. Anderson, while still a senior high school student, put up an online business together with his classmate – and the rest is history.
4. All of the above

9. Select the activity/-ies that show/s sustainable development:

1. Mass production and use of electric cars
2. Invention of biodegradable-rubbish-to-fertilizer mini machine
3. Aero-gardening in cities’ green condominiums
4. All of the above

10. Since everyone is enjoined to do his/her/their part to meet the global sustainable development goals, which among the following do you think is excluded:

1. You (and/or me)
2. All the living people you know and do not know in person
3. Government, non-government organizations, civil society groups, faith-based organization, businesses
4. None of the above

C. PERFORMANCE TASK

POSTER  MAKING

Direction: Create your own self-made “AN EDITORIAL CARTOON ABOUT AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE AND ITS POSSIBLE SOLUTION(S)”

Rubric: Relevance to the topic = 50 points; Creativity = 40 points; and, Neatness = 10 points (Total = 100 points)

Bibliography

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The 3 Simple Things Videos. 2020a. “Lesson 5 The Human Person in Their Environment Session 1.” YouTube Video. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ye9B0yJ5BM&t=17s.

———. 2020b. “Lesson 5 The Human Person in Their Environment Session 2.” YouTube Video. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M05p8RkFwmM&t=4s.

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