SH1905

Handout on Intersubjectivity

Intersubjectivity Defined

Intersubjectivity presupposes human being’s connectivity with other human beings. It means that we share the
same situations wherein we can create shared meanings. These meanings become bases for our collective
actions and beliefs.

Theories on Intersubjectivity

Philosopher Ideas
Martin Buber • A preeminent philosopher in the concept of the “I-It” and the “I-Thou.”
“I-It” suggests that in a conversation, one side serves as a being while
the other seen as an object. On “I-Thou,” the conversation exists
between two mutual identities capable of treating each other as
equals.
• This is most commonly seen in the concept of monologue vs. dialogue.
In a monologue, the conversation gears towards one person to
another, and there is no response back. In dialogue, both persons in
a conversation may give each other responses as equals.
Edmund Husserl • He significantly contributed to the philosophy that understands the
minds of the people. He believes that the self is more outward and
bound towards the world. Thus, by introspecting, a person can gain
knowledge of the world around him.
• This introspection becomes crucial as the understanding of the person
broadens and realizes that the world around him is much larger. By
being able to accept that, he can relate to other people’s needs.
Edith Stein • Her work is greatly influenced by Edmund Husserl being his student.
She published her dissertation entitled “On the Problem of Empathy,”
which focuses on putting the self into someone else’s context to
understand that person’s situation.
• This concept of ‘putting yourself into someone else’s shoes’ allows a
shared experience between people and thus able to take responsibility
for one another.
Karol Wojtyla (Bl. John Paul II) • He presented two views on how a human person is understood. The
first is the cosmological way wherein the human person realizes that
he is a part of something much larger than he is. But at the same time,
the person is also seen in the personalistic way wherein he is
considered something of value and thus crucial to the world at large.

On Dialogue

As stated above, Buber explained that in conversation, two types exist: monologue and dialogue. A monologue
is a one-way process wherein the speaker monopolizes the conversation, and thus information flows to the
object only and never back to the speaker. Meanwhile, the dialogue is a process wherein both the speaker and
audience can participate in the conversation because they are seen as equals and can contribute to each other.

There are several challenges to the dialogue process that one must be aware of. The challenges are listed in
detail below:

• In seeming vs. Way of being

o In this challenge, the main issue here is whether or not the person seems to tell the truth or is
genuine. Is what is being said completely honest, or is there a subliminal context applied to it
by the speaker? Is he saying this because he wants to look good, or is it because its what has
to be said?

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o The idea behind ‘In seeming’ is there is a mask that prevents the dialogue from occurring
because what is being presented may be simply half-truths, embellished conversations, to suit
the needs of the speaker.
o For ‘Way of Being,’ this is the uncensored, natural, and genuine way of communicating and
thus allows a natural interaction between persons without the barriers presented in ‘In seeming.’

• Speechifying vs. Personal making present

o In this challenge, this is a matter for the receiving end – whether or not you are genuinely
listening to the entirety of the conversation.
o For ‘Speechifying,’ this is the idea of ‘listening to reply.’ Snippets or small portions of the
conversation are taken in to respond to the situation. But, this response is false as it does not
consider the overall picture. Another instance can also occur wherein you listen, but what
comes in comes out of the other ear, thereby leading to miscommunication or the lack thereof.
o For ‘Personal making present,’ this is the complete reverse wherein you understand the whole
of the situation first by completely taking in the context of the person involved and thus can
wholly understand the facets of the interaction.

• Imposition vs. Unfolding

o In this challenge, the speaker invalidates the person’s thinking by forcing upon the person
his/her beliefs and thus making the interaction one way (similar to a monologue).
o For ‘Imposition,’ as the term suggests, beliefs of the speaker are imposed upon the receiver,
and thus, interaction is a one-way street. The speaker does not agree with the views of the
person and therefore considers it invalid.
o For ‘Unfolding,’ the speaker considers the other person’s way of thinking but does not
necessarily accept it. He may or may not assimilate the idea, but there is the suggestion that
these ideas may be ways to view the topic at hand from a different angle.

One of the effects of authentic dialogue is catharsis. Catharsis is the release of emotions to achieve freedom
from stress or negative feelings. Dialogue, in its truest sense, will allow emotions to be part of the conversation,
and the achievement of such may enable the person to achieve catharsis because he will find people who truly
empathize with his emotions.

On Love

Love is one of the most essential aspects of human existence, and many feel it in a variety of ways such as
familial, brotherly, friendly, and of course, romantic love. But, love and its processes are very similar to the
concept of intersubjectivity as it involves the connection of one person and another.

Understanding Love:
• “Receiving or giving love”
o Love isn’t just about receiving someone else’s affection. In fact, love is more of ‘giving’ love to
another person to show how much that person means to you. This denotes that love is not
selfish and therefore focuses on the world at large – similar to how intersubjectivity works. You
are after the betterment of the person on the other end of the relationship.
• “Being-in-love vs. Falling-in-love”
o Infatuation is most often thought of by synonymous with being-in-love. Falling-in-love is a
feeling of being temporarily attracted to another person, especially on a particular action or
appeal of that person. However, being-in-love is a permanent state and allows a person to go
beyond himself and connect with this other person because of what that person means to
him/her.
• “Loneliness leads to love.”
o Loneliness can be the root cause of love as this feeling desires ‘atonement’ or a cure to the
isolation and it is through love that a person achieves an escape from the self-preoccupation of
loneliness. While other people may seek pleasure, group interventions, or other hobbies, these
do not entirely break away from the self-preoccupation as seeking pleasure is only temporary,

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group interventions only achieve sameness with others who feel your pain, and hobbies only
focuses on the self and not on other people.
• “Love is not dependent on appeal.”
o Love goes beyond what can be seen and therefore is not dependent on appeal – whether
physical or spiritual. There is a deeper meaning to the emotion and is not temporary like appeal.
Because if the emotion is dependent on appeal, the moment the physical beauty fades, so does
the love.
• “Love gives and sacrifices.”
o As was mentioned earlier, love is unselfish – but further, it sacrifices. It does not only focus on
the positive of the relationship. If there is something that has to be corrected, being-in-love
dictates that has to be done even if the person does not like it. This is because the
understanding is the change has to come to make the person better.
o Further, love is unselfish in a sense that it is not possessive – the two parties involved must
allow each other to grow on their own and be free to become what he/she can become.
• “The duality of love”
o Love is not just about the two of you – it also nourishes the self. As was said, love provides
‘atonement’ to the person, and this allows the person to heal himself from the loneliness. Also,
love becomes a two-way street – as it nourishes the self, it allows the person to be able to give
more to the relationship and thus enhance the relationship altogether.
• “The value in love”
o Love gives value to the other – that is why a person who is in love can sacrifice for the other.
Further, the value of a person is not dependent on its appeal, but what that person means for
the other. This makes a person capable of loving for what a person is and not because of the
qualities you like.

Four Characteristics of Love

1. Love is historical
• It does not re-shape a person to become your ideal person but instead loves you for what you
are. It associated with something such as places and events and thus can be remembered
once we see these objects or actions. In love, you are not a slave, but the two freedoms of two
people just became one and made one freer.
2. Love is total
• Love between two people is indivisible. We love them for what they are not just because of
certain qualities they possess.
3. Love is eternal
• Love is forever as it is not time-bound. We do not make friends on the basis that they are only
our neighbors nor do we sign contracts saying we’ll only be friends or a couple for three and a
half years.
4. Love is sacred
• Love is sacred because persons are valuable in themselves, and thus, the relationship itself
has deep meaning to both parties.

References:
Calano PhD, M.T., Pasco PhD Cand., M. D., Ramoya, PhD Cand., M. B. (2016) Philosophizing and being
human. Quezon City: Sibs Publishing House Inc.
Sy, D. B., Basas, A. A. (2018) Philosophy of the Human Person: An Introduction. Quezon City: Abiva Publishing
House Inc.
Camiloza, L.G., Garnace, E. B., Mazo, R. M., Perez, E. D. (2016) Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon
City: The Phoenix Publishing House Inc.

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