Filart, Michelle Margarette E. Commissioner Rene V.

Sarmiento
SOL 1C Legal Philosophy

The Concept of “Man” and Society of Dr. Jose Rizal, Emilio Jacinto and Apolinario Mabini

Rizal’s Concept of “Man” and “Society”

Dr. Jose Rizal’s concept of man and society were guided by three main principles: (1) man
by creation or nature possessed intellectual and moral potentialities, that man had in him a spark
of the divine conceded in humanity; (2) these potentialities in man gave him a natural tendency
towards progress for the full development or perfection of man’s intellectual and moral faculties;
and (3) any attempt to stifle or repress man’s potentialities or his natural inclination to progress
would morally disfigure him.

Man’s stimulus is self-respect. To deprive one of his dignity would deprive him of moral
strength and would make him useless to all. Rizal’s first concept of freedom is that it is a condition
where man is allowed to fully develop both his intellectual and moral faculties, and where he is
allowed to keep his self-respect.

It is man’s duty to further his self-development and progress, this is in relation to the
assumption that man by nature is good and that his natural inclinations are likewise good. There is
evil under two instances: (1) when men do not do the duty of perfecting themselves; or (2) when
men prevent others from perfecting themselves. An optimistic view of Rizal is that repression of
what is innate in man could lead to a stronger desire to have it expressed.

Rizal instilled two virtues: (1) intellectual virtues – the love of studying and the love of
what is just and noble; and (2) moral virtues – the love of fellowmen, temperance, and personal
and racial dignity. Filipinos must hate tyranny and make any corrupt government an anomaly with
them. Liberty had to be deserved where the people are willing to make sacrifices even to the extent
of giving their lives in defense of liberty.
 Rizal’s second concept of freedom, which is more complex, is when man has reached a
stage of personal discipline, intellectual integrity and moral uplift together with love of one’s
country and a refusal to submit to tyranny, resulting in a willingness to give one’s life in defense
of liberty.

Jacinto and the Teachings of the Katipunan

Emilio Jacinto had several views similar to that of Rizal’s. Jacinto’s concept of freedom is
it being a situation where no tyrant restrained man’s actions and where these actions were guided
by what was reasonable. Equality of men was that all men had the same origin. There are two ways
wherein freedom is lost and equality not recognized: (1) when men instigate discord among
fellowmen for the purpose of furthering their own interests; and (2) when government officials
attempt to perpetuate their power. Thus, evil exists when a group of men use the government as a
tool to further their own interests. In order to recapture freedom and equality, there must be the
development of reason in the people as this impels man to love and help mankind, and encourages
the hate and fighting against of tyranny. To develop reason, one must turn to education as this
allows for the full development of man’s intellectual and moral faculties. Education could banish
tyranny and recapture a state of freedom.

Mabini’s Concept of “Man” and “Society”

God gave life to man, life was given to do what is good and just. Man has a duty to preserve
life using his ability and natural strength. Happiness is the enjoyment or just satisfaction of the
honest necessities of rational man. The right to life, the equality of all men, and the right to
happiness are all inalienable as they all have in common God being their ultimate source. Mabini
saw freedom as being reserved only for good acts and not for evil acts.