CHAPTER 1

TITLE:PERSUING AND FACING CHALLENGES IN THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY

METAPHYSICS
Metaphysics is a broad area of philosophy marked out by two types of inquiry. The first aims to
be the most general investigation possible into the nature of reality: are there principles applying
to everything that is real, to all that is? if we abstract from the particular nature of existing
things that which distinguishes them from each other, what can we know about them merely in
virtue of the fact that they exist? The second type of inquiry seeks to uncover what is ultimately
real, frequently offering answers in sharp contrast to our everyday experience of the world.
METAPHYSICS is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of existence ,being and
the world. Arguably, metaphysics is the foundation of philosophy,Aristotle calls it "first
philosophy".
but at some point in antiquity his writings on the topic came to be known as the metaphysics
from the Greek for after natural things, that is, what comes after the study of nature. This is as
much as we know of the origin of the word
metaphysics concerns the nature and description of an Ultimate Reality that stands behind the
world of appearances. One dominant strand holds that we can somehow come to know a world
that exists undetected by our sense perceptions and unexplained by the natural operation of
causes and effects. Unfortunately, our powers of sensation and perception reveal to us only a
partial survey of the contingent universe unfolding around us and within us. We are part of that
unfolding process, no doubt, but we have profound limitations in what we can do and what we

can know. We are radically limited in our contact with the universe, and it is hard to see how, in
our embodied state, we can overcome these limitations. Despite all that our sciences have done
to inform us of realities unknown to sense perception or nave common sense, we are unable,
using the normal touchstones of truth, to argue convincingly for the character of Ultimate Reality
or for Beings that exist in a supersensible or supernatural world.

CHAPTER 2
TITLE:METHODS OF PHILOSOPHIZING
PHENOMENOLOGY
Phenomenological reflection is both easy and difficult.It is easy because to perceive the
meanings of human experiences is something everyone does constantly in everyday life. For
example, when I meet a friend I do not just perceive a man or a woman. I see a person who
differs from other men and women precisely in that respect which makes me relate and talk to
this person as a friend. But what is much more difficult is to come to a reflective determination
and explication of what a friend is.

This determination and explication of meaning then is the more difficult task of
phenomenological reflection. A perhaps more notorious illustration of this difficulty concerns the
experience of time. What could be more easily grasped than time? We regulate our lives by time.
We carry the time around on our wrist. We divide the day into morning, afternoon, evening and
night time. and we reflect on past time and anticipate the time to come. We even talk about the
time going by, sometimes quickly and at other times more slowly. And yet when someone asks
us what is time anyway? we are quickly at our wits end to describe it. What is it that goes by
fast or slowly when we say that the time is elapsing? So there is a difference between our prereflective lived understanding of the meaning of time and a self-reflective grasp of the
phenomenological structure of the lived meaning of time. To get at the latter is a difficult and

often laborious task, involving a process of reflectively appropriating, of clarifying, and of

making explicit the aspects of meaning of the lived experience.
This chapter considers scepticism in both its epistemological and ontological varieties and
questions whether either form genuinely engages phenomenological method, properly
understood. Starting from the problematic identification of phenomenology with introspection
and drawing upon considerations from the work of Edmund Husserl.

CHAPTER 3
TITLE:THE HUMAN PERSON AS AN EMBODIED SPIRIT
HINDUISM
Hinduism like other faiths is appropriately referred to as a religion. In India the term dharma is
preferred, which is broader than the western term "religion". Hindu traditionalists prefer to call it
Sanatana Dharma (the eternal or ancient dharma).
Hinduism is one of the oldest known organized religions its sacred writings date as far back as
1400 to 1500 B.C. It is also one of the most diverse and complex, having millions of gods.

Hindus have a wide variety of core beliefs and exist in many different sects. Although it is the
third largest religion in the world, Hinduism exists primarily in India and Nepal.
Hinduism views mankind as divine. Because Brahma is everything, Hinduism asserts that
everyone is divine. Atman, or self, is one with Brahman. All of reality outside of Brahman is
considered mere illusion. The spiritual goal of a Hindu is to become one with Brahma, thus
ceasing to exist in its illusory form of individual self. This freedom is referred to as moksha.
Until moksha is achieved, a Hindu believes that he/she will be repeatedly reincarnated in order
that he/she may work towards self-realization of the truth (the truth being that only Brahman
exists, nothing else). How a person is reincarnated is determined by karma, which is a principle
of cause and effect governed by nature's balance. What one did in the past affects and
corresponds with what happens in the future, past and future lives included.

Although this is just a brief synopsis, it is readily seen that Hinduism is in opposition to biblical
Christianity on almost every count of its belief system.

Hinduism is generally regarded as the world's oldest organized religion. It consists of

"thousandsof different religious groups that have evolved in India since 1500 BCE." Because of
the wide variety of Hindu traditions, freedom of belief and practice have traditionally been
notable features of Hinduism.
Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic religions. They recognize a single deity, and view other
Gods and Goddesses as manifestations or aspects of that supreme God or Goddess. Henotheistic

and polytheistic religions have traditionally been among the world's most religiously tolerant
faiths. As a result, India has traditionally been one of the most religiously tolerant in the world.

CHAPTER 4
TITLE:THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE INVIRONMENT
GREED

Greed is one of seven deadly or capital sins. They are called such because it leads one to commit
other sins as well. Greed for money can lead someone to commit sin just to get more money
steal, cheat, etc. God is reminding us today to not focus on material wealth, because anytime,
God can take us or take away the wealth we have worked hard for.

Money in itself it not necessarily evil. You need money to survive. You need money to help
others. However, love of money is. That is why we have heard Jesus telling us that it is so
difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Not because they are rich, but because they
love their money too much. People think that money will make things better, that it will make us
happier. Probably for those who dont have the basics food, water and shelter. Having money
can give them these things, and will make their lives better. But aside from these basic things,
money does not necessarily make people happy. Actually sometimes it stresses people out! Rich
people, as seen in the gospel, work harder to earn more money. They buy or build structures,
people or mechanisms to protect their money. They do bad things to get more money. Its a never
ending cycle, and before they know it, God is calling them already.
When this feeling of lack is particularly strong, a person can become utterly fixated on seeking
what they need , always trying to get hold of the one thing that will finally eliminate the deeprooted feeling of not having enough.
That one thing could be money, power, sex, food, attention, knowledge just about anything. It
could be something concrete or abstract, real or symbolic.

COMPILATION
OF
CHAPTER REFLECTIONS
IN THE PHILOSOPHY

OF THH HUMAN PERSON

SUB. BY: KRISMAN JHUDE LA MADRID

SUB. TO: REM G. DANGUILAN