SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Introduction to the
Philosophy of the
Human Person
Module 2- Quarter 2
Intersubjectivity

Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines

Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
Alternative Delivery Mode
Module 2- Quarter 2 : Intersubjectivity
First Edition, 2020

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 SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Introduction to the
Philosophy of the
Human Person
Module 2- Quarter 2
Intersubjectivity

This instructional material was collaboratively developed and reviewed by

educators from public and private schools, colleges and universities. We
encourage teachers and other education stakeholders to email their feedback,
comments and recommendations to the Department of Education at
action@deped.gov.ph

We value your feedback and recommendations.

Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines

ii
iii
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page No.
Cover page

Table of Contents iv
1
Overview

General Instructions 1

What I Need to Know? 2

What you Know 2
Lesson 2.1: What is Intersubjectivity? 3
What’s In 3
5
What’s New

Lesson 2.2: Elements of Interpersonal Relationships 5

Lesson 2.3: Empathy and Society

6
What’s More
7
What I Have Learned
What Can I Do 7

Assessment 8
Answer Key 9
10
References

iv
 OVERVIEW
Good day learners! Congratulations on making it this far in Introduction to the
Philosophy of the Human Person. We continue now with the next topic at hand,
Intersubjectivity. We will explore how human persons form interpersonal relationships and
the corresponding factors involved in a philosophical view. Further, we will also describe and
immerse ourselves in activities that promote the formation of a dialogue. Afterwards, we will
test how far you have understood the lesson through short tests as well as reflective
activities.

Specifically, this module consists of the following lessons:

• Lesson 1: What is Intersubjectivity?

• Lesson 2: Elements of Interpersonal Relationships
• Lesson 3: Empathy and Society

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

For the learners: For the teacher:

To be guided in achieving the
objectives of this module, do the
following:
1. Read and follow instructions
carefully.
2. Write all your ANSWERS in
your PHILOSOPHY ACTIVITY
NOTEBOOK.
3. Answer the pretest before
going through the lessons.
4. Take note and record points
for clarification.
5. Compare your answers
against the key to answers
found at the end of the
module.
6. Do the activities and fully
understand each lesson.
7. Answer the self-check to
monitor what you learned in
each lesson.
8. Answer the posttest after you
have gone over all the lessons.
To facilitate and ensure the students’
learning from this module, you are
encouraged to do the following (you
may edit this part):
1. Clearly communicate learning
competencies and objectives
2. Motivate through applications
and connections to real life.
3. Give applications of the theory
4. Discuss worked-out examples
5. Give time for hands-on
unguided classroom work and
discovery
6. Use formative assessment to
give feedback
7. Introduce extensions or
generalizations of concepts
8. Engage in reflection questions
9. Encourage analysis through
higher order thinking prompts
10. Provide alternative formats for
student work
11. Remind learners to write their
answers in their Philosophy
Activity Notebook

1
 WHAT I NEED TO KNOW?

The whole world is more

connected now more
than ever in the 21st
century. Using
communication
technology such as the Internet, we can discover
and even interact with other cultures around the
globe.
Look at the picture on the left. Does each
person depicted look the same? Does each
person have different clothing from the other?
With the Earth as the background of the image,
what do you think the image represents?

https://www.shutterstock.com/search/cultural+diversity

In this module, the learner will be able to:

• Realize that intersubjectivity requires accepting differences and not to impose on to

others
• Explain that authentic dialogue means accepting others even if they are different
from themselves
• Performs activities that demonstrate an appreciation for the talents of persons with
disabilities and those from the underprivileged sectors of society

WHAT I KNOW
INSTRUCTIONS: Write TRUE is the statement is correct and
FALSE if it is wrong. Write your answers on a separate piece of
paper.

______1. Intersubjectivity refers to shared awareness and understanding among people.

______2. Man has the natural tendency to establish relationships with other people.
______3. The views and ideas of other people, as well as social context do not influence our
behavior as individuals.
______4. We are primarily aware of people as objects and not as persons.
______5. Seeming refers to the capacity of individuals to engage in genuine interaction with
others.

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Lesson
Intersubjectivity
6
WHAT’S IN?
Lesson 2.1: What is Intersubjectivity?
2
In one of the past chapters of this module, we have learned that a
human person has self-awareness, self-determination, externality,
and dignity. We have explored that a person recognizes what he or
she is and what he or she can do. Further, we have learned that a person is a social being
and since the establishment of the first form of civilization has thrived because of the links
and relationship one has.
Our ability to engage in meaningful interactions with other people, our surroundings,
and everything around us is rooted in our capacity for self-awareness and transcendence.
Before we begin to relate with others, we must first be aware of ourselves as rational
individuals capable of determined and reasonable action. Interpersonal relations are made
possible when the self becomes aware of the other, which includes everyone and everything
outside of the self.
Take a moment to look at one of your family members. Are you aware of his or her
existence? If your answer is yes, then you are correct since you can perceive your family
member through your senses. Your classmate is the other, a being that exists outside of
yourself. Now look at an object at your desk. It may be a pencil, ball-pen, piece of paper, or
any object. That object is also another, as it is a thing that also exists outside of yourself.
Now, which of the following actions is more reasonable?

You begin talking to your family member, You begin talking to the piece of paper on
telling him or her about a funny experience your desk, telling about a funny experience
you had in school. you had in school.

Of course, you will select the left statement since it describes a reasonable and
logical human act. You only interact with objects when you need to use them. You reach out
for the pencil and paper only when you need to write, and you do not need to talk to these
objects to enable them to function. Interacting, with other human beings, however, is a more
complex act. What drives human persons to interact with their fellow humans in a more
meaningful way?
Our human nature not only enable us to recognize the self that defines our
individuality, it also enables us to recognize that other human beings also possesses a self.
We can relate meaningfully with other human beings because we consider ourselves as
essentially the same. This notion of recognizing the self in the other is how philosophers
define interpersonal relations.

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 Intersubjectivity is a philosophical concept that explore the mutual recognition of
each other as persons. It cannot be denied that we interact with other beings in the world,
but some of these beings that we interact with are persons and must be recognized as such.
Intersubjectivity also carries the meaning of unique relationship between distinct subjects. It
refers to the characteristics of the human person to engage in a very intimate and personal
relationship with others who are different from him or her but who are also like him or her.
This is possible because the person has an inner life or interiority. Having an inner life allows
the person to give himself or herself to others.
This also allows the individual to receive others in his or her life and relate with them.
Intersubjectivity also allows a person to become closer to others in many ways. In everyday
social interactions, persons could agree and cooperate with each other. There is also the
experience of shared or “common” knowledge and shared emotions such as grief, joy, and
love.
A deeper level of interaction between the self and the other, on the other hand, is the
awareness of the self as being seen by others. Imagine, for instance, that one of the people
you are watching suddenly stops and looks straight at you. You are immediately aware of
this person’s action as another which is the stranger looking at your direction. Also, you are
aware of another significant fact that you know that the stranger staring at you is aware of
you as a person. This self-consciousness is considered by philosophers as a defining
characteristic of the self-other relationship.

WHAT’S NEW?
Read and reflect on the situations below:

https://cutewallpaper.org/21/boy-and-girl-kiss-cartoon/view-page-21.html

Look at the images above. The image on the left is a boy staring at his crush while
the one on the right is a man talking to a woman while her child awkwardly stares at the
man. Now, which among the two situations depict the “self” acknowledging the “other”?
Which among the two situation shows an internal reaction unique only to the “self” and the
“other” he or she perceives? Lastly, if you are in both situations, which of the two would elicit
the most emotions out of you? Would it be staring at your crush or staring at a stranger?

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 This unique phenomenon of the human gaze is considered a defining characteristic
which sets apart human interaction from the interaction of other species. Also, the
awareness of the “self in the other” is an important element in all other aspects of
interpersonal interactions. The way we act with other people is often influenced by our ideas
of how these people see us.
These actions are referred to as “seeming”, where an individual presents himself or
herself in a certain way when dealing with others. Person's take on role or app out
characters when dealing with certain people or when in certain situations. This is considered
as an unconscious, natural app on the part of humans.

Lesson 2.2: Elements of Interpersonal Relationships

Most human interactions, however, are not based on deception period since our
human nature drives us to uphold dignity and goodness, our interactions with others are also
geared toward what is good and beneficial. This led humans to strive to achieve deeper and
more substantial interactions and relations with other people. This deeper and more genuine
interaction is called a dialogue, and this is made possible when the self realizes that the
other is genuine and unique individual. When two individuals begin to view each other as
another that is and truly acknowledging each other’s presence, then that is the beginning of
an authentic relationship and a dialogue.

A dialogue is an interaction
between two persons that happens
through speech or the use of
words, expressions, and body
language. The person is a being
who is open to others that can
receive others in a dialogue.
Ordinarily, we think of it as a kind of
communication that usually occurs
through a conversation. However, it
must be noted that dialogue is not https://clipartstation.com/asking-directions-clipart-4/
confined to words. Actions,
gestures, and other expressions maybe used to convey a person's inner life. Because
persons are beings with inner lives, the words uttered during a dialogue are rooted in each
person’s inner life. Whenever a person speaks, he or she expresses a personal interiority
and communicates this part of himself or herself to another person. This is the reason why it
is not possible to have a dialogue with the material, object, a plan, or even a pet. Only
beings with interiority or an inner life can engage in a dialogue.
A dialogue occurs when two persons “open up” to each other and give and receive
one another in their encounter. Genuine dialogue occurs when persons are willing to share
themselves with one another period, the awareness of each other’s presence as a true
person defined by the acceptance of each other's uniqueness and differences. When each
individual enters into a dialogue with this mindset, then it is truly a dialogue between equals.
Philosophers agree that this is important for humans to pursue and achieve genuine
relationships to attain development. Human persons naturally seek and can achieve and
maintain genuine, meaningful relationship with each other. The human person is considered
as a “being with others,” which means that his or her identity and destiny are shaped by

5
relating with others. Human existence is a continual dialogue with the other, and that the self
becomes whole through interaction with other people and his or her surroundings.

Lesson 2.3: Empathy and Society

Empathy, or the ability to share emotions, is an important aspect of intersubjectivity.
This emotion is driven by a person's awareness that the other is a person with thoughts and
feelings. Human persons are actively aware of the emotional states of other people and they
use this information to determine their own actions and behavior. Empathy enables us to
experience another person's emotions such as happiness, anger, and sadness.
Another characteristic of a meaningful and
genuine human relationship is availability, or the
willingness of a person to be present and be at
the disposal of another. For instance, you went to
an unfamiliar place and cannot locate the place
where you are supposed to go. What will you do?
You might think of asking directions from the
people living in the area. How will you feel if you
were asking for directions, but the people you
were asking kept ignoring you? What will you
think about these people? Let us say a stranger
approach you in the street asking for help. What
will be your first reaction? Will you try and help
that person, or will you ignore him or her?
https://clipartstation.com/asking-directions-clipart-4/

Important values related to Inter subjectivity include acceptance of differences and

embracing diversity. We understand that each person is unique, therefore, differences will
exist among groups of people. When we look at physical traits and even behavior, we can
see that no two persons look and think the same. When we consider views, beliefs, and
ideas the differences become much more pronounced. We must accept that people will have
different views and beliefs. What unites us all is our shared humanity and dignity.
The recognition of our shared humanity and dignity is what drives us to extend
assistance and help with concern towards others, especially towards individuals or groups
that experience hardships and discrimination. For instance, those who are physically and
mentally challenged often experience hardships because of their condition. You must
realize, however, that these individuals, despite their limitations, can have the same skills as
those who are fully able in mind and body. They also have hopes and aspirations like us,
and many of them have successfully transcended their disabilities to become productive and
happy individuals.
Society must be founded on relationships and bonds established through mutual
respect and recognition of human dignity. If we recognize that the other person is the same
as ourselves, if we consider him or her as an individual with dignity as a person, then he is
not different from us, and we will be able to forge ties and build a community of harmony.

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 WHAT’S MORE?
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer the following questions briefly and straight
to the point.

1. How does empathy enable persons to establish genuine relationships with others?

2. What is availability? Have you ever made yourself available for others?

3. What enables human persons to establish meaningful interaction with others?

4. How is Inter subjectivity related to self-awareness and transcendence?

5. How does establishing dialogue with others benefit a person?

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED?

INSTRUCTIONS: Fill the blanks with the right words to make the
statement correct.

➢ A person's ability to engage in meaningful interactions with other people, his or her
surroundings, and things around him or her, is rooted in the human capacity for
______________ and _______________.
➢ __________________ refers to the shared awareness and understanding among
persons. It is made possible by the awareness of the self and the other.
➢ _____________ is the way a person presents himself or herself when dealing with
others, this is considered a natural and often unconscious act.
➢ A deep in general relationship between persons is called a dialogue. _________
happens when two persons truly acknowledge each other’s presence and treat each
other as equals.
➢ ____________ is an important aspect of Inter subjectivity and is driven by a person's
awareness of the emotions and thoughts of other people. It enables a person to
place himself or herself in the shoes of others and leads to a greater understanding
an appreciation of others.
➢ ____________ refers to the willingness of a person to be present for another and to
render assistance to another.

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 ➢ Meaningful and beneficial human relationships are founded on the values of
acceptance, openness, and respect. As humans, were driven by our shared dignity to
treat each other with respect and acceptance.

ASSESSMENT
INSTRUCTIONS: Write TRUE is the statement is correct and
FALSE if it is wrong. Write your answers on a separate piece of
paper.

______1. Intersubjectivity refers to shared awareness and understanding among people.

______2. Man has the natural tendency to establish relationships with other people.
______3. The views and ideas of other people, as well as social context do not influence our
behavior as individuals.
______4. We are primarily aware of people as objects and not as persons.
______5. Seeming refers to the capacity of individuals to engage in genuine interaction with
others.
______6. An authentic relationship is possible only if individuals acknowledge each other's
presence as persons.
______7. Availability refers to the willingness for person to make himself or herself available
for another.
______8. All humans find it difficult to have meaningful relationships with others.
______9. Empathy requires an individual to accept the other as a thinking, feeling person.
______10. It is not important to care about the welfare of others to establish a dialogue.
________5. A businessman did not accept a high-paying position in an overseas firm and
instead decided to start his own business and spend more time with his family.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
1. Research on a person with disability who has lived a productive
and meaningful life despite his or her disability. Discussed his or
her background, significant achievements, as well as the traits that
enabled him or her to succeed in life.

2. Have you ever engaged in a genuine and meaningful interaction with another person?
Write a reflection paper describing this encounter and how it affected you.

Good Job!

You have now finished this module. You may now proceed to the next one

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 9
What I have Learned?
1. Self-awareness, transcendence
2. Intersubjectivity
3. Seeming Assessment:
4. Dialogue
5. Empathy A.
6. Availability 1. TRUE
2. TRUE
3. FALSE
4. FALSE
Additional Activities 5. FALSE
6. TRUE
Rubric:
7. TRUE
Content – 15 8. FALSE
Coherence – 10 9. TRUE
Grammar - 5 10. FALSE
What I know?
What’s more?
1. TRUE
Rubric:
2. TRUE
Content – 10 3. FALSE
Coherence – 7 4. FALSE
Grammar - 3 5. FALSE
ANSWER KEY
 REFERENCES:
Abella, R. (2016). Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. 2016. C & E
Publishing, Inc. Quezon City
Image: Cultural Diversity. Retrieved from:
https://www.shutterstock.com/search/cultural+diversity
Image: Boy Sees Crush. Retrieved from: https://cutewallpaper.org/21/boy-and-girl-kiss-
cartoon/view-page-21.html
Image: Stranger Looks at Boy with Mother. Retrieved from:
https://www.clipart.email/clipart/safety-stranger-danger-clipart-322070.html
Image: Asking Directions. Retrieved from: https://clipartstation.com/asking-directions-clipart-
4/
Image: Girl Boy Talking. Retrieved from: https://www.kindpng.com/imgv/ixwRbhm_clip-art-
girl-talking-clipart-girl-boy-talking/

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Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City

Contact number: 0917 899 2245

Email address: misamis.oriental@deped.gov.ph