INTERSUBJECTIVITY

CHAPTER 6
How do we as human persons relate with
others?
• Because we have the capacity to be aware of
ourselves and transcend, we can engage in
meaningful interactions with other people, our
surroundings & everything around us.
• Before we begin to relate with others, we must first
be aware of ourselves as rational individuals capable
of determined and reasonable actions.
• Recognizing the self in the other is how philosophers
define interpersonal relations.
•Self-defines our individuality.
-it enables us to recognize that other
human beings also possess a self.
-we can relate meaningfully with other
human beings because we consider
ourselves as essentially the same.
INTERSUBJECTIVITY
- the interaction between the self and the other or
mutual recognition of each other as a person.
-it carries the meaning of a “unique relationship
between distinct subjects”. -it refers to the
characteristic of the 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 of our interiority.
-having an inner life allows the person to give himself
or herself to others. (able to receive others or relate
with them)
Various levels of self-other interaction
1. Simple awareness of the existence of the
other.
•When we see other people walking down
the street, we are aware that there are
other beings from us, and that they exist
outside of our own awareness or
perception.
Various levels of self-other interaction
2. Awareness of 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 an other-this
stranger is looking at your direction. (FACT: YOU KNOW THAT
THE STRANGER IS STARING AT YOU IS AWARE OF YOU AS A
PERSON.)- if that happen, several questions will begin to run
in your head.
• SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS-defining characteristics of the self-
other relationship.
Various levels of self-other interaction
3. Awareness of the “self in the other”
• The way we act with other people is often influenced by our ideas of
how people see us.
• If we have the idea that our parents think of us as quiet and
obedient, we often act that way with them. But if we are with our
friends, we think that they see us as outgoing and boisterous (very
noisy and active in a lively way).
• Meaning, we are adjusting our behavior to conform with how other
people expect us to act.
• Other social context: How we behave in church is different from our
behavior in a lively party.
• These actions are referred as seeming.
• Seeming-refers to the way a person presents
himself or herself when dealing with others.
This is considered a natural and often
unconscious act.
• Person act out characters when dealing with
certain people or situations unconsciously
(natural act on the part of humans).
• Some people, however, engage in seeming
actions to deceive and manipulate others.
• “Plastic” & “Sipsip”- refers to manipulative
behaviors that are done by some people in pursuit
of self-interests.
What characterizes a genuine human interaction?
• DIALOGUE
- an interaction between persons that happens
through speech or the use of words, expressions, and
body language.
-it occurs when two persons “open up” to each and
give and receive one another in their encounter.
-Dialogue happens when two persons truly
acknowledge each other’s presence (genuine and
unique individual) and treat each other as equal
person.
• When two individuals begin to view each other
as an other - that is, truly acknowledging each
other’s presence- then that is the beginning of
an authentic relationship and dialogue.
• Dialogue is not confined to words.
• Actions, gestures, & other expressions- used to
convey a person’s inner life (interiority).
• Persons- are beings with inner life-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 a reason why it is not possible to
have a dialogue with material object/plant/pet)
• NOTE: Only beings with interiority or an inner
life can engage in a dialogue.
• DIALOGUE will serve as means of persons to
share in each other’s lives.
• The conversations you have with casual
acquaintances are different from those people who
are closest to you.
• Casual conversations with other people often consist
of discussing news or occurrences.
• When we are with our friends and family, we are
comfortable discussing more personal issues like
goals, emotional problems, or moral dilemmas.
• We are not engaging in random stranger on the street
in a conversation, but we seek out a person whom you
consider most trustworthy and reliable to listen to
your thought and concerns.
How does intersubjectivity define our interactions
with other persons?

• Human person is considered as a “being with

others”-which means that our identity and
destiny are shaped by relating with others.
• Human existence is a continual (happening
without interruption/ happening again and
again) dialogue.
• Self becomes whole through interaction with
other people and his or her surroundings.
 Empathy
- ability to share emotions
- 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, they use this information to determine their own actions and
behaviors.
- It enables us to experience another person’s emotions.
• Sympathy- feeling with
• A feeling of support for something (people share the same interests, opinions,
goals)
• Empathy-feeling in
• The feeling that you understand and share another person’s experiences and
emotions; the ability to share someone else’s feelings.
 AVAILABILITY
•Availability-willingness of a person to be
present and be at the disposal of another.
•If a stranger approach you in the street
asking for help. What will be your first
reaction? Will you try to help that person,
or will you ignore him or her? If yes- you are
making yourself available to them.
 Ethics of care
-an ethical theory that emphasizes the moral
dimension of relationships and interactions.
-this moral perspective encourages individuals to
help other people, especially vulnerable.
-proponents believe that people have moral
obligation to respond to the needs of other
people (and not making your eye to be blind on
the problems of others).
-those who can help or give assistance should consider the
specific needs of the people they are helping.
• Pessimistic view
-it considers human relationships frustrating and often
inauthentic or deceptive.
-They view other people negatively and consider human
actions as being influenced by self-interests.
-a person that adopts this negative view is experiencing
ALIENATION.
Alienation happens when a person ceases(stop) to view the
other as a distinct and authentic person and merely considers
the other person as a mere object or a means to satisfy
personal interests.
• “Matapobre”-well-off (being on good condition
or have a lot of something) people who look
down on other people that they consider “poor”
• Our human nature drives us to feel indignation
(to feel anger caused by something that is unfair
or wrong) against these kinds of behavior (e.g.
Matapobre attitude) because we know that
these actions are an insult to human dignity.
• Alienation goes against the concept of
personhood because this view discounts the
human dignity of a person and leads to
dehumanization.
• Calling your classmates by their physical flaws instead of
their names.
• Physical flaws(defect/imperfection)
• “Negro” or “negra”- those with dark skin
• “Ngongo”- those with speech impediment (a condition that
makes it difficult to speak normally)
• “Pandak”- those who lack of height
• “Panget”- those who are not attractive
• “Superior”- those who do not possess the other features
(like pandak, negro and etc) and act as if those with flaws do
not deserve to belong in school and should therefore be
treated unfairly.
How can philosophy help you evaluate your
relationships with others?
• Intersubjectivity values
• Acceptance of differences and embracing diversity.
• Each person is unique and therefore differences will exist among
groups of people.
• We are different in:
• Physical traits
• Behavior
• Views
• Belief
• Ideas
• We must accept that people 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 act with concern towards
others, especially towards individuals or groups that
experience hardships and discrimination.
A. Physically and mentally challenged often experience
hardships because of their condition but they 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, the shared
awareness and understanding among persons. It is made
possible by the awareness of the self and other.
People with disabilities who
have successfully risen above
their physical limitations to
live productive lives
1. Helen Keller (1880-1968)
•American author
•Political activist
•First deaf-blind person to
earn a bachelor’s degree
2. Nick Vujicic (1982)
•Australian evangelist
•Motivational speaker
•Born with Phocomelia-a condition in which
a person is born with no arms or legs.
•Nick was born with two small and deformed
feet
•He founded Life Without Limbs- a non-
profit organization and ministry
3. Roselle Ambubuyog (1980)
•First visually-impaired Filipino to graduate
summa cum laude from Ateneo de manila
University in 2001.
•She initiated “Project Roselle” together with
the Rotary Club of Makati-Ayala, and
provided schools with software and
equipment, such as computers and printer,
that will aid blind students in their studies.
B. Underprivileged- another group of people who
experience hardship and discrimination.
• They have less in terms of possessions but
because of our shared humanity, it allows us to
engage with each other respectfully and render
assistance to each other.
• The act of assistance or giving must be done in
the spirit of mutual respect & wholeheartedly
without reservation or a patronizing attitude.
• We help because it is our obligation to uphold
the dignity of our fellow persons.
C. Isolated groups- we
think of them as deemed
different (weird).
Meaningful and beneficial human
relationships are founded by values on
acceptance, openness and respect. As
humans, we are driven by our shared
dignity to treat each other with respect
and acceptance.