INTERSUBJECTIVITY

GROUP 3
 In its most general sense of that
which occurs between or exist among
conscious human actors,
INTERSUBJECTIVITY is a little
more than a synonyms for THE
SOCIAL. It denotes a set of relations,
meanings, structures, practices,
experiences, or phenomena evident in
human life.
 In another sense,
INTERSUBJECTIVITY is the sharing
of experiential content (feelings,
perceptions, thoughts, and linguistic
meanings)among a plurality of subjects.
 INTERSUBJECTIVITY, refers to the
condition of man, a subject, among other men,
who are also a subjects.

We cannot speak of man without implying

and drawing from his situatedness within the
world, and this situatedness always involves
other subjects such as himself is.

Man is a being with others.

6.1 realize that intersubjectivity
requires accepting differences and not
to impose others
◦ We are all unique individuals. Most of the time,
we look at our differences and may have labels
towards one another.

◦ Though we are part of our society, we are still

different individuals living in this society.

◦ Each of us will have different appearances or

points of view.
 Intersubjectivity as ontology: the
social dimensions of the self
Martin Buber and Karol Wojytla
- both philosophers were influenced by their
religious background.
- they believed in the notion of CONCRETE
EXPERIENCE/ EXISTENCE OF THE HUMAN PERSON.
- Both refused to regard human person as a
composite of some kind dimensions such as
animality and rationality.
- THE HUMAN PERSON IS TOTAL not
dual.
 Intersubjectivity as ontology: the
social dimensions of the self
Martin Buber
-A Jewish existentialist philosopher.

-In his work I AND THOU (Ich and Du),

he conceives the human person in his/ her
wholeness, totality, concrete existence
and relatedness to the world.
 SOCIAL AND
INTERHUMAN
Social points to group or communal existence. Certain
animals operate under this category.
 Interhuman refers to the life between and
among persons who are non-interchangeable and
non-objectifiable. It refers to the interpersonal,
that is a life of dialogue.
I-thou promotes dialogue
I-It hinders dialoge

Song “Love me for what I am”

 Intersubjectivity as ontology:
the social dimensions of the self
Saint Pope John Paul II or Karol Wojtyla
-In his encyclical letter, Fides et ratio, he
criticized the traditional definition of human as
“rational animal”.
-He maintains that the human
person is the one who exists and acts
(conscious acting, has a will, has self
determination)
 Intersubjectivity as ontology:
the social dimensions of the self
Participation
-for Wojtyla, action reveals the nature
of human agent.
-Participation explains the essence of
the human person. Through participation,
the person is able to fulfill one’s self.
 -As St. Augustine of Hippo
said, “No human being should
become an end to him/herself. We
are responsible to our neighbors as
we are to our own actions”.
 Intersubjectivity as ontology:
the social dimensions of the self

We participate in the communal

life (We). Our notion of the
“neighbor” and “ fellow member” is
by participating in the humanness of
the other person (I-you). The
neighbor takes into account
humanness.
 Intersubjectivity as ontology:
the social dimensions of the self

“WE” relation
-For Wojtyla, the social dimension.
 Intersubjectivity as ontology: the
social dimensions of the self
I-THOU
-Buber’s philosophy is about human person as a
subject, who is being different from things or objects
-The human persons as subjects have direct and
mutual sharing of selves.
 -This signifies a person-to-person,
subject-to-subject relation or acceptance,
sincerity, concern, respect, dialog, and
care.
-The human person is not just being-
in-the-world but being-with-others, or
being-in-relation.
 Intersubjectivity as ontology:
the social dimensions of the self
I-It relationship
-In contrast, to realm of meeting and
dialog, Buber cites I-It relationship.
-I-It relationship is a person to thing,
subject to object that is merely experiencing
and using; lacking directedness and mutuality
(feeling, knowing, and acting)
6.2 Appreciate the talents of persons with
disabilities and those from underprivileged
sectors of the society and their contributions
A . – On PWDs

There are many categories of PWD. To

mention some, there are the hearing impaired,
diabetic, asthmatic .

Negative attitudes of the family and

community toward PWD may add to their
poor academic and vocational outcomes.
 B. On Underprivileged Sectors of
Society Dimension of Poverty

◦Income
◦Health
◦Education
◦Empowerment
◦Working condition.
C. On the Rights of Women
- In 1712, Jean Jacques Rousseau said that
women should be educated to please men.
Moreover, he believes that women should be
useful to men, should take care, advise,
console men, and to render men’s lives easy
and agreeable.

He also influenced the development of

modern political, sociological, and educational
thought.
C. On the Rights of Women
◦Mary Wollstonecraft, believes that
women must be united to men in
wisdom and rationality.

◦Women should not just be valued

until their beauty fades.
 6.3 explain the authentic dialog that is
accepting others regardless of individual
◦ Wedifferences
Are a Conversation
◦ Martin Heidegger says that humankind is a conversation..
◦ Conversation is more than an idle talk but a dialog. This
means that humanity is progressively attuned to
communication about Being.
◦ Language, as one of possession, creates human world.
◦ Language is a tool for communication, information, and
social interaction. However, language can also be
amazement
 6.3 explain the authentic dialog
that is accepting others regardless
of individual differences
We Are a Conversation
- A dialog is a conversation that is
attuned to each other and to whatever they
are talking about. Mutual tuning is
perfected in the attunement.

- A conversation is creative, poetic and

deep that allows humanity to exist as more
entities.
We Are a Conversation
- In a conversation there could be a
“stammer” which is trying to express the
unnamable.

- For Heidegger, a conversation attempts to

articulate who and what we are, not as particular
individuals but as human beings. We are human
beings who care about more information and
gratification.
We Are a Conversation
◦ For Martin Buber, a life of dialog is a mutual
sharing of our inner selves in the realm of
inter human. Between two persons is a mutual
awareness of each other as persons; avoiding
objectification.
◦ Being is presenting what one really is, to
present to the other one’s real self. Personal
making entails the affirmation of the other as a
person who is unique and has distinct
personality.
◦ There is the acceptance of the person
◦ One of the major reasons why many PWD
enterprises fail because of the lack of market
for their products.
◦ Disability is considered a development issue
because of its relationship to poverty.
◦ People with disabilities incur additional
expenses to achieve a standard of living
similar to those without disabilities such as
health care services, costlier transportation
options, and special diets among others.
◦ In relationship to poverty, human trafficking has
become a form of modern-day slavery.
◦ Globally, men, women, and children are forced into
prostitution, cybersex/pornography, and other forms
of exploitation that assault human dignity.
◦ Pope Francis calls this “crimes against humanity”.
This is what Martin Buber calls as
I-It relation, where the other human being is
perceived as an object rather than as human being.