AN INQUIRY INTO THE POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF THEOPANY

THROUGH KAROL WOJTYLA’S NOTION OF PARTICIPATION

Man is a social being. Therefore, his nature is to live with others in a community. Sometimes
that relationship can turn sour especially when disagreements turn up causing misunderstanding
between peoples. Nonetheless, with the right attitude and dialogue, conflict can be resolved and
the community can be happy co-existing and living within one another. When man exists with
others, he experience himself. It is a mutual relationship, known as an I-Thou and not an I-Other
Relation.

The reason as to why man relates well with his fellow man because he sees the other not as a
mere object but as a subject as well. Karol Wojtyla provides an excellent explanation to this
paradigm. In his work The Acting Person, he defines community as “a group of “I’s” co-existing
and co-acting with one another. The experience of man also includes the experience of others.
The I-You relationship affirms the subjectivity of both parties.” 1 When man acts in accord with
others and enters into the I-Thou relationship (We for many) his actions are directed towards the
good and are therefore moral. “Man's personality is closely linked to his lived experience of
spiritual values, of ethical values, and of values of the 'holy.' The highest form of unity for
spiritual values is a personal God; man-constitutes himself as a person and experiences moral
values through reference to a God thus conceived.”2 By this it is clear that the foundation for
ethical values is the person’s religious relationship with God. This is not a surprise given that
Wojtyla, influenced by Christians ethics and Thomistic ontology, would go on to be elected the
264th Pope of the Catholic Church in 1978.

The idea of God coming from experience of the holy has been discussed by personalist
philosophers such as Martin Buber. He calls as God The Eternal Thou. He does not directly
communicate with man for the most part. Instead he communicates to us through ethical means.
This means is realized in the actions one does unto the Other. What is ethical is helping God by
showing love for his creatures, in Wojtyla’s words, our neighbour. Through this participation
people will then see the presence of God through the I whom they now see as the presence of
God. This presence of God seen in the world through the other is known as Theophany. When
this happens, man is able to participate mutually within the community and is able to truly treat
the other as another I, a Thou. The realization of man’s ultimate happiness and good is attained
for this ultimate good and source of happiness is God himself.

Therefore, in this work, the researcher will attempt to prove that through Wojtyla’s notion of
participation, theophany is developed. This study is unique for the aspect of Wojtyla’s
philosophy that deals with man’s relationship with God is not fully explored compared to the
other aspects of his philosophy.

1
Peter Emmanuel Mara, “Understanding Man as a Subject and a Person: A Wojtylan Personalistic Interpretation
of the Human Being,” Kritike Vol.1, No.1 (2007).

2
Alice Ramos, “Karol Wojtyla-John Paul II's Idea of Ultimate Reality and Meaning,” UTP Journals Vol.1, No.1
(2020).
 A KANTIAN APPROACH TO INTERVENTIONISM

At the end of the Cold War in 1991 with the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics, the world was left with one superpower, the United Staes of America. A supwerpowr
defined as a state that is capable of influencing international events thereby having a great
dominance in the world possessing what is known as hegemony. As the sole superpower, the United
States has had a significant role in the formation of the world as w know it today in virtually all
aspects of society. It dominates the global economy and leads the world on the path towards
globalization through various means such as the internet, the liberal democratic culture and its
foreign policy. This particularly evident in it having a say in major global affairs, just like in the
Philippines whose bilateral ties to it are as mutual as can be up until recent times.

One of the key aspects of its foreign policy is its interventionism. This is defined as the
interference of a government to the political affairs of another country. At first glance, one may react
to this policy in a very negative light. Critics of American foreign policy believe it suggests a new
wave of imperialism that had been vanquished at the end of the Second World War. In effect, the
affairs of weaker nations are effectively dictated by that of America. The effect of this are significant
both in history and in current events. Some examples would be her support for ruthless dictatorships
all over the world (like Marcos) in an effort to contain the spread of communism, the War on Terror
and the controversial Vietnam and Iraq War.

Supporters on the other hand argue that while it is easy to criticize America for its failures,
the good she has done vastly outshines it. The most significant claim they have for this is
globalization and the longest period of relative peace which the world has experienced in its history.
They go on to argue that the free world of today was made possible through the efforts of America
and her allies. Had it not been for them, either other more ruthless nations will rise to fill in that gap
(just like what Putin is doing with Russia) or nations will continue their struggle for dominance to rise
towards the political ladder.

The question of whether or not the interventionist foreign policy introduced in America by
Woodrow Wilson in 1917 is a heated topic of debate among scholars. Should America be the world’s
policeman? This topic is of paramount importance because the current world affairs are affected by
the hegemony that America has over it. And with nations such as Russia and China that are taking
steps to try and rise to the top to strip and replace America as the dominant world power.

Immanuel Kant, a renowned eighteenth century German philosopher, was born in a period
where Europe was at the height of its imperial ambitions with the rise of Napoleon and of various
empires that sought to dominate other nations to gain wealth and spread their influence to the ends
of the world. Writing on many branches in philosophy, his political philosophy was influential in the
unification of the German states into one country. In his work Perpetual Peace (1797), Kant believed
that peace in the world could be attained through universal democracy and international cooperation
the end result being the climaxing stage of world history. In the said work, he listed several
conditions necessary to end wars and create lasting peace. When it comes to government Kant
summarized the proper actions to be taken by them in his doctrine known as Rechtsstaat. This
doctrine limits the actions of government as a safeguard of the citizens against abuse of power.

The researcher sees the political thought of Immanuel Kant as crucial for understanding
whether or not the interventionism of great powers such as America is necessary to attain world
peace. Therefore, this study shall focus on Immanuel Kant’s political philosophy, specifically his
doctrine of Rechtsstaat. Through this study, the researcher will test whether interventionism done by
great powers is beneficial or not to the attainment of world peace.
 UNDERSTANDING THE IRREDUCIBILITY OF A DISABLED PERSON
IN KAROL WOJTYLA’S PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

Immanuel Kant provides an excellent foundation for a research paper on ethics.

This is a topic suggestion on Kant and Ethics from Paper Masters. Use this topic or order a
custom research paper, written exactly how you need it to be.

Immanuel Kant provides and excellent foundation for a research paper on ethics. With his
categorical imperative clearly outlined, a student can present an in-depth look at one of the
most respected ethical philosophers known to man. Kant and EthicsWhen writing a
research paper on Kant, our writers recommend the following:

Begin by noting that his deontological approach rested in the belief that duty was
paramount in one’s life.

Every person had an obligation to respect and practice a moral law.

When writing your paper, recognize that “moral law” is very ambiguous and must be
classified.

The moral law is the foundation of his categorical imperative.

Kant’s categorical imperative was meant to serve as the foundation for all ethical
judgements. The main premise is that a person must act in accordance to an obligation to a
moral code, without concern for the outcome. Meaning, one must always do the right thing,
no matter what is going to happen to the self or to someone else. The word “duty” is used
often by Kant and there was no gray area when it came to duty. When an action goes
against the categorical imperative, it wrong, immoral and in violation of what a man or
woman should do.

At this point, it would be a good idea in your research paper to pause and reflect on
whether or not you personally agree with this. If it is a philosophy research paper, you may
want to inject personal reflection; however, if it is for an ethics class, simply report what
Kant is trying to say.

What is an individual? How the 21st century is molding an advanced philosophical

problem