1.1 The Human Person, Intellect and Free Will

Formation Standards: (Objectives)
• Articulate the meaning of intellect and free will in the Christian

context.
• Identify the highest use and purpose of intellect and free will.
• Explain how the human person is an image and likeness of God
and justify how intellect and will are an outstanding
manifestation of the divine image
• Realize that the intellect and free will are used in finding the
truth, and in love and service
• Take appropriate actions, as persons created in the image of
God, to show their capabilities in taking good what He has
entrusted to them in finding the truth, to love and serve and
have dominions to all that God has created.
Human Person!
What is a human
being?
What does it mean
to be human?
Group Activity:
1. What makes a person truly human being?
2. Explain the concepts of Moral Life and Christian Moral Life using a Venn
diagram.
3. How is the saying “Madaling maging tao, mahirap magpakatao.”

related to the concept of your Venn diagram?
What is a human
person?
Characteristics of a Human
Person:
A human person is a rational being.
A human person is born free.
A human person is unique.
Every human person is intrinsically a
social being.
All living things are sexual by nature.
Human (being/person)
 human person rests on the

premise that we are both
physical and spiritual beings;
one aspect is not distinct from
the other. Our bodies
represent us to the world and it
is through our bodies that we
express our spirit.
 We are an embodied spirit.
1st of Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians
(1Cor. 6:19-20)
“… the body is the temple of the Holy

Spirit,… whom you have received from
God…”
Human Soul
 In Sacred Scripture the
term "soul" often refers to
human life or the entire
human person. But "soul" also
refers to the innermost aspect
of man, that which is of
greatest value in him, that by
which he is most especially in
God's image: "soul" signifies
the spiritual principle in man.
CCC 363
“Madaling maging tao, mahirap
magpakatao.”
Moral Life Christian Moral Life
• Morality is defined as • is the standard of right

beliefs pertaining to the and wrong about God and
differences between right Jesus.
and wrong or good and
bad behavior. • The Christian moral life
• Correctness and wrongness is defined by being in
of an action. loving relationships and
• principles concerning the by living our lives in
distinction between right response to the teachings
and wrong or good and of Jesus.
Intellect and Free will
Intellect and Free will
_________ 1. Properly order things.

_________ 2. Operates in the light of knowledge.
_________ 3. It involves reasoning and understanding.
_________ 4. Man’s ability to make choices.
_________ 5. Use in finding truth in love and in service.
What is intellect?
Intellect is defined as your ability to reason

and to understand things.
The intellect is called speculative in as
much as it knows what is so; it is
called practical in as much as it knows what
to do.
Intellect and free will from Christian point of view:
The intellect is the faculty by which we

understand language and the Bible.
The intellect is what allows us to properly
order things. This allows us to have wisdom
and grow in knowledge of God.
Thus, we should view the intellect as
intrinsic to human nature given by
God.
What is free will?
FREE WILL as strictly understood, means the act of

the will making a free choice.
FREE WILL is freedom of action and moral
responsibility
Free will is the notional capacity or ability to choose
between different possible courses of action
unimpeded.
Free will from Christian point of view:
"free will" is used to describe the concept of man's ability

to make choices as he goes through his life and his
responsibility to make the right choices.
Free will is an appetitive power, not a knowing power. It
operates in the light of knowledge furnished by the
intellect.
 it carries the idea of making a decision / taking an action
with no outside influence or control yet bounded to
God’s sovereignty.
Our intellect and freewill are
distinguishing characteristics
of God in man; an outstanding
manifestation of the Divine
image
Purpose and
Limitation of
Intellect and Free
will
Purpose of intellect and free will
 To have dominion over all God’s creation

 To attain “beatitude”
 Fullness of life, a life of happiness in
communion with God
 God desires that we use our intellect to
seek Him, know Him, and serve Him.
 Use in finding the truth, and in love and
service.
Limitations of intellect and free will:
“God’s sovereignty”
• is His kingship, His rule, and the fact
that He has the final authority in
everything. Sovereignty means that from
the highest king to the smallest atom,
everything bows, ultimately to His
power.
Limitations of intellect and free will:
• “God’s sovereignty”
• Morality = The Ten Commandments
• Christian Moral Life/Standard
God has implanted in our souls the gift of
“intellect” and the gift of a “free will,” – that is,
the gift of intelligence, and the gift of making
choices – and God wants us to use these gifts in
his service. We proclaim God’s revealed truth to
others not only by our words, but also by our
actions.
Endowed with a spiritual soul, with intellect
and with free will, the human person is
from his very conception ordered to
God and destined for eternal
beatitude. He pursues his perfection in
"seeking and loving what is true and good."
CCC 1711

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Formation Standards: (Objectives)

• Articulate the meaning of intellect and free will in the Christian

3. How is the saying “Madaling maging tao, mahirap magpakatao.”

 human person rests on the

“… the body is the temple of the Holy

• Morality is defined as • is the standard of right

_________ 1. Properly order things.

Intellect is defined as your ability to reason

The intellect is the faculty by which we

FREE WILL as strictly understood, means the act of

"free will" is used to describe the concept of man's ability

 To have dominion over all God’s creation

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