philosophical anthropology

IntroductionFor ages, humanity has been searching for the purpose/meaning of his existence. Through his nature, s/he has the ability to rationalize and reflect on his relationship with other beings in the environment where s/he has been living.

Philosophical Anthropology

* Biologically classified as: HOMO SAPIENS

The “Thinking Wo/Man/” sapiens is the gerund form of the Latin noun sapientia which means “wisdom”

To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge.

- Socrates

The unexamined life is not worth living.

-Socrates

470 BC

Philosophical AnthropologyThinkers from different ages viewed the human being in various ways:

Homo politicus – “Political Animal/Being”

-Aristotle (384 BC)

Homo viator “Pilgrim Being”

-Gabriel Marcel

French philosopher(7 December 1889 – 8 October 1973

Philosophical Anthropology

Homo homini lupus“human is a wolf to [his/her fellow] human."-Thomas Hobbes (15c) Plautus' Asinaria (195 BC)

Homo festivus – “A celebrant” – Harvey Cox

Philosopher and theologians (May 19, 1929)

We are by our nature creatures who not only work and think, but who sing, dance, pray, tell stories, and celebrate. . . We are Homo Festivus.

Homo faber- “Human the Creator”– Hannah Arendt

Homo mensura- “Human is the measure of all things” - Protagoras

Humans as controlling the environment through tools, referring to the ability of humans to control his destiny and what surrounds him/her

that everything is relative to human apprehension and evaluation, and that there is no objective truth

German-American political theorist (20c)

pre-Socratic Greek philosopher (420BC)

Philosophical AnthropologySeven Anthropological ConstantsA body, cosmos and

environmentAn OtherSocial and institutional

structuresCulture and historyTheory and PraxisA Transcendent or

utopian consciousness

Synthesis of the 6 constants

Edward Schillebeeckx (Novemeber 12, 1914 – December 23, 2009),

Philosophical AnthropologyHuman Person Adequately ConsideredPeople are embodied spirits.

Fundamentally Equal, yet uniquely individual.

Philosophical AnthropologyHuman Person Adequately ConsideredAll humans are historical figures.

All humans relate to others.