MODULE 6

INTERSUBJECTIVITY
WEEK 6
INTRO. TO PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN PERSON
Are you familiar in the
story of “ The Good
Samaritan”?
What is it all about?
Questions:
1. What virtue(s) does the parable show?
Give the instance/s where you see those
virtue/s
2. What do you think is the reason why the
Good Samaritan helped the stranger despite
their social differences?
3. If you are the Samaritan, would you do
the same? Justify your answer.
 INTERPERSONAL

The word interpersonal is made from the combination of

the following:
a. inter = a prefix which means ‘between
b. person = which means ‘human’ or ‘individual’
c. -al = a suffix which means, ‘pertaining to’ or having the
‘character of
Interpersonal thus, is a word we used in describing
interactions (pakikipagugnayan o pakikipag-
halubilo) between people. In philosophy however,
when we say
interpersonal relations we are referring to
interactions that exist between the Self
(Ako) and the Other (lahat ng nakakasamuha mo,
maging tao o bagay)
 INTERSUBJECTIVITY
The interaction between the Self and the Other is related to the
philosophical concept of intersubjectivity. Similar to the word
interpersonal, the word intersubjectivity is also comprise of three
groups of letters and/or words, namely:
a. inter = again this is a prefix which means ‘between’
b. subject = this refers to a person or thing that is being discussed
with.
c. -ity = a suffix used to form nouns which expresses state or
condition
Intersubjectivity means a condition of
relationship between subjects or persons. If I relate
with a friend for example, and he or she relates back
to me, intersubjectivity occurs. Philosophically, this
means that when the Self recognizes the Other and
the Other recognizes the Self, intersubjectivity
happens.
Performance Task
Additional Information about
the lesson
(Note : You may use it or not for the discussion)
Intersubjectivity also carries the meaning of a unique relationship between
separate individuals or subjects. When we say unique, we are referring to
the relationship that a human person may experience when he or she
engages in a very intimate and personal relationship with others. When a
person, for example, loves others, he or she gives himself or herself to them
and at the same time receives them into his or her life and vice versa. This
mutual self-giving and receiving becomes possible because of the
person’s inner life or interiority (panloob na buhay) where his
or her thoughts, feelings, inner struggles, reactions, and the like
“resides.
I believe that there is someone in your life—a parent,
friend, or a mentor— whom you feel very close with.
Maybe because of this closeness, both of you are able to
share to each other your inner thoughts and feelings
without any reservation.
How does it feel then to understand and be understood
by someone? How does it feel then to love and be loved
in return by this person?
Intersubjectivity or the Self-Other interaction comes
in two levels, which are:
a. First Level = this refers to the simple awareness of
the Self about the
existence of the Other.
b. Deeper Level = this refers to the awareness of the
Self as being seen by Others.
Certainly, the awareness of the self in the other is an important element
in all other aspects of interpersonal interactions. The way we act or react
with others is often influenced by our ideas of how these people see us.
Going back to my example about your crush, if he or she smiles while
looking back at you, perhaps you will conclude that he or she likes you
in return. And this idea will affect how you behave when he or she is
around. This is also true when considering social contexts.
Oftentimes, we modify our behavior depending on where we are. Our
behavior in the church, for example, is different from our behavior when
we are at a lively party.
These actions of presenting yourself in a certain way when dealing with
others or your social context is what we called as seeming
“Seeming” may behave in two forms:
a. Positive Seeming – the pleasant behavior we
showed when we are in a sacred place or in the
presence of a very important person.
b. Negative Seeming – being “plastic,” “sipsip”
or when expressing manipulative behaviors to
promote selfish interests.
 Lesson 2: Authentic Dialogue
Most of our human interactions actually are based not on deception
(panlilinlang) but on truth. Because of our dignity and goodness, our
interactions are geared toward what is good and beneficial. This deeper and
more genuine interaction is called dialogue.
A genuine dialogue is attained when all of the following conditions are present:
a. When the Self realizes that the Other is a unique or distinct person;
b. When the two individuals begin to view each other as an Other;
c. When the two persons truly acknowledging the presence of each other
Ordinarily, we understand dialogue as having any conversation
with someone. However, it does not always follow that
because when you are talking with someone, you are already
in dialogue with him or her.
Philosophically, a dialogue can only occur when the words
uttered and/or the actions and gestures performed are rooted in
one’s inner life or interiority. That is why, only beings with
interiority (panloob na buhay) are capable of engaging in
dialogue. Here, a person’s words, expressions, and body
language becomes the way by which he or she is able to express
a part of himself or herself to another person.
On the other hand, the person is also capable here of
receiving the words, thoughts, emotions, and ideas of
another person. A dialogue, therefore, happens when
two persons “open up” to each other and give and
receive one another in their encounter.
Lesson 3: Interaction with the
Disadvantaged
Answer the following questions:

1.How many of them are your intimate friend, casual friend, or acquaintance?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. Does their condition draw you to them or hinder you from befriending them?
Explain.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. How should we, as human persons, relate to the underprivileged?
______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
QUESTIONS TO PONDER!

HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED FEELING

THE EMOTIONS OF OTHERS AS IF THEY
ARE YOUR OWN EMOTIONS TOO?

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED THAT YOU

CARE FOR SOMEONE AS IF YOU HAVE
THE SAME STRUGGLES IN LIFE?
As human persons, we have the capacity to experience the experience of
another just like the one I described to you about that MMK incident.
Philosophers call this human capacity to share the emotions of others as
empathy, which is also an important aspect of intersubjectivity. Perhaps
you have already heard that empathy can be understood as “feeling in” or
“placing yourself into the shoes of another.”
For example, how would you behave around a friend who just informed you
that his or her parent has died? Empathy enables you not only to share your
friend’s grief and offer him or her comfort during this difficulty, but also to
own the grief of that
person even if it was not your own parent’s death.
Can you cite another personal
experience where you express
empathy with
someone?
Another characteristic of meaningful and genuine human
relationships is availability. Availability is the willingness
of a person to be present and be at the disposal of another.
Filipinos are actually very good at this.
For example, if you go to an unfamiliar place and do not
know which way to go, normally there are kababayans who
will approach you and extend their help to you voluntarily.
The concept of availability means that you are willing to be
at one’s side twenty four seven.
The ethics of care can help us understand why we need to make
ourselves available for others. This understanding encourages
individuals to help other people, most especially the least, the lost,
and the last because it is our moral obligation to do so.
What about you? If, let us say, a stranger approaches you in
the street asking for help, will you try to help that person or
will you ignore him or her? If you choose to ignore him or
her, what could be some of the possible reasons of doing
so?
Indeed, there are people who would simply ignore those who seek
for their help. They do this because they have a negative view about
human relationships.
People having this negative view often suspect that any form of
human action is being influenced by selfish interests, hence, for
them it should be seen as not genuine or even deceptive
(mapanlinlang). When a person adopts this kind of view, he or she is
said to be experiencing alienation.
Alienation arises when a person stops to view the other as an
authentic person and merely considers the other person as a mere
object to satisfy his or her personal interests.
Be that as it may, in spite of our negative experiences of
human interactions, we are still called to extend our
hands in building a community of harmony. This is very
important especially that our world today seems to be
surrounded with all forms of conflicts and violence. We
can only do this if we recognize that the other person is
the same as ourselves—a person with dignity that needs
to be upheld and respected.
LESSON 4
Embracing Differences
Not all stories, movies, or telenovelas end happily. Many
of them, unfortunately, end with a sad note. Yet, what
seems to be common among these narratives is the
realization of the main protagonist (bida sa kuwento) on
the necessity to accept the things that had already gone
by and to embrace all past experiences—may they be
good or bad. And when he succeeded to do that, he or
she become at peace with himself or herself.
In similar manner, the acts of accepting (pagtanggap) and embracing
(pagyakap) all our differences are also beneficial especially in
building a community of harmony. Without a doubt harmony is
hindered because some people have intentionally refused to accept
and embrace our diversity (pagkakaiba-iba). Some individuals, for
instance, overemphasize our differences and choose to favor one
look, behavior, view, belief, and idea over the other. In the process,
some of those who do not carry the characteristics that are preferred
to by the majority in society are the ones who usually receive
rejection (pagtakwil), discrimination (pagtrato ng hindi pantay),
abuse (pag-abuso), neglect (pagpabaya), contempt(pagalipusta), and
the like
There are people in our society who have endured a lot of hardships
and discrimination because of their physical or mental condition. As
a group, we call them differently-abled persons (may kakulangan
sa pagkatao). However, have you realized that despite their
limitations, these individuals can actually master the same skills as
those who are fully able? Have you also realized that these
individuals are actually having their hopes and aspirations too, like
us? And are you aware that many of them are actually able to rise
above their disabilities and become productive and happy
individuals?
Apart from people with disabilities and the underprivileged,
there are also others who are excluded from groups or society
because they have been deemed different. Who among your
neighbors is considered by many to be “weird” or “different”?
How does this view affect the way you treat this person? Do
you see yourself befriending him or her? If you reflect on the
way you relate to him or her, can you say that you have been
treating him or her as a person?