INTERSUBJECTIVITY:

is a term used in philosophy,

psychology, sociology, and
anthropology to represent the
psychological relation between
people
the ability of human beings to
share feelings, perceptions,
thoughts, and meanings
A good way to think
about intersubjectivity is to imagine
how you relate to your family and
friends. Maybe your mother enjoyed
playing tennis. She took you with
her when she practiced, and you
always had a good time. Growing
up, you decided to join the school
tennis team. If your mother had not
played tennis with you growing up,
you may not have grown to like the
sport. Your experience with tennis
In order to better
understand intersubjectivity,
we first need to define
a subject and an object.
A subject is the person
experiencing an action or
event. An object is what is
being experienced.
Intersubjectivity means that we all
influence and are all influenced by
others to some degree.
The principle
of intersubjectivity can be applied
to almost any decision we make,
big or small. We always have to
consider how our actions will
affect others. We ourselves are
constantly affected by the actions
Each of us will have different appearances or
points of view
Labels could be negative or limiting. You
may be called , impatient, whiny or
stubborn.
INTERSUBJECTIVITY AS ONTOLOGY: THE
SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF THE SELF
ONTOLOGY:
a branch of metaphysics concerned with the
nature and relations of being
a particular theory about the nature of being
or the kinds of things that have existence.
MARTIN BUBER AND KAROL WOJTYLA
Believed in the notion of concrete experience
/existence of the human person.
Refused human person as a composite of some
kind of dimensions, such as animality and
rationality.

KAROL WOJTYLA OR POPE JOHN PAUL II

He criticized the traditional definition of human
as “ rational animal.”
Human person exists and acts(conscious acting,
has a will , has self-determination
Action reveals the nature of the human agent
Participation explains the essence of the human
person
KAROL WOJTYLA OR POPE JOHN PAUL II
He criticized the traditional definition of
human as “ rational animal.”
Human person exists and acts(conscious
acting, has a will , has self-determination
Action reveals the nature of the human
agent
Participation explains the essence of the
human person
ON PWD’S( PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES)
To mention some
1.Hearing impaired
2.Diabetic
3.Asthmatic
4.Cystic fibrotic persons
Cystic fibrosis (CF)
is a life-threatening genetic disease. A child with CF has a
faulty gene that affects the movement of sodium chloride
(salt) in and out of certain cells. The result is thick, heavy,
sticky mucus; salty sweat; and thickened digestive juices.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that particularly
affects the lungs anddigestive system. Kids who have it are
more vulnerable to repeated lung infections
1. Spirited kids
* Notice everything going on around her but will be able to
process that information quickly and will be able to select
the most important information.
2. ADHD( attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
• A child will find it difficult to focus or complete a task
despite her best efforts
Negative attitudes of the family and community toward
PWDs may add to their poor academic and vocational
outcomes.
ON PWD’S( PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES)
To mention some
1.Hearing impaired
2.Diabetic
3.Asthmatic
4.Cystic fibrotic persons
Cystic fibrosis (CF)
is a life-threatening genetic disease. A child with CF has a
faulty gene that affects the movement of sodium chloride
(salt) in and out of certain cells. The result is thick, heavy,
sticky mucus; salty sweat; and thickened digestive juices.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that particularly
affects the lungs anddigestive system. Kids who have it are
more vulnerable to repeated lung infections
1. Spirited kids
* Notice everything going on around her but will be able to
process that information quickly and will be able to select
the most important information.
2. ADHD( attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
• A child will find it difficult to focus or complete a task
despite her best efforts
Negative attitudes of the family and community toward
PWDs may add to their poor academic and vocational
outcomes.
ON UNDERPRIVELEDGED SECTORS
OF SOCIETY
Dimensions of Poverty
The notion of poverty is not one-
dimensional,rather it is
multidimentional
• Income
• Health
• Education
• Empowerment
•
The most common measure of the
underprivileged is INCOME POVERTY.
INCOME POVERTY: defined in terms of
consumption of goods and services.
POOR HEALTH: is also an important
aspect of poverty
HUMAN RIGHTS: also relevant to issues
of global poverty
* JUSTICE is being denied for sectors
like farmers, fisher folks, indigenous
people and victimes of calamity and
labor.
Martin Buber’s I-I
and I-Thou
Relationship
Intersubjectivity, is a term
originally coined by philosopher
Edmund Husserl (1859–1938).
According to him,
intersubjectivity is the
“interchange of thoughts and
feelings, both conscious and
unconscious, between two
persons or “subjects,” as
facilitated by empathy”.
I-Thou relationship

completely accepts who and what we

are as humans and not misjudge us. In
an I-Thou relationship, everyone is seen
beyond an object. Respect and
recognition is accorded them as we are
co-equal. In an I-Thou relationship,
every human being should be seen as a
person with his own feelings, thoughts,
wants and needs and seen according to
his individuality and completeness.
We do not mind whether one is a
woman or a member of the LGBTQI. It
is not also an issue if one is Aeta,
Ybanag or Ytawit. His being a student
of the STEM, TVL, or GAS is not even an
issue. The past will never be a basis for
looking at the other because it is the
unfolding present that is most
important. An I-thou relationship
acknowledges one’s differing
circumstances in life and chooses to
understand this without any bias or
I-IT RELATIONSHIP

An I-It relationship is a controlling and

manipulative one. The relationship
manifests treating others as a means to
an end. It is one dimensional as only a
limited portion of ourselves is being
shown to the public. Most of the time,
however, it is we who chose this story
because this is what we only want the
public to know about us.
In an I-It relationship, people
are valued according to whether
they become who and what they
want them to be. We relate with
others like they are mere objects
that can gratify our needs and
make us happy. We take them as
individuals with something to
offer to us rather than as whole
persons
Martin Buber’s I and Thou
Martin Buber’s I and Thou (Ich und Du, 1923) presents a philosophy of
personal dialogue, in that it describes how personal dialogue can define the
nature of reality.
Buber’s major theme is that human existence may be defined by the way in
which we engage in dialogue with each other, with the world, and with God.
According to Buber, human beings may adopt two attitudes toward the world: I-
Thou or I-It.
I-Thou is a relation of subject-to-subject, while I-It is a relation of subject-to-
object.
In the I-Thou relationship, human beings are aware of each oher as having a
unity of being.
In the I-Thou relationship, human beings do not perceive each other as
consisting of specific, isolated qualities,
but engage in a dialogue involving each other's whole being. In the I-It
relationship,
on the other hand, human beings perceive each other as consisting of specific,
isolated qualities, and view themselves as part of a world which consists of
things.
I-Thou is a relationship of mutuality and reciprocity, while I-It is a relationship of
separateness and detachment.
Buber explains that human beings may try to
convert the subject-to-subject relation to a
subject-to-object relation, or vice versa.
However, the being of a subject is a unity which
cannot be analyzed as an object.
When a subject is analyzed as an object, the
subject is no longer a subject, but becomes an
object.
When a subject is analyzed as an object, the
subject is no longer a Thou, but becomes an It.
The being which is analyzed as an object is the It
in an I-It relation
WHAT IS SOCIETY?WHAT DRIVES HUMAN BEINGS TO
ESTABLISH SOCIETIES?
SOCIETY- IS AN ORGANIZED GROUP OF
PEOPLE WHOSE MEMBERS INTERACT
FREQUENTLY AND HAVE A COMMON
TERRITORY AND CULTURE.
-Refers to a companionship or
friendly association with others, an
alliance, a community, or a union.
-Philosophers consider society the
product of deliberate actions by
individuals who come together in
The human person exists to
relate with others.
The person is by nature a
social being because he or
she has a tendency to go out
of himself or herself to form
bonds and relationships with
others
The pursuit of our goals is made
easier by the fact that we do our
activities alone, that we can can
live our life and pursue our
happines s with other people by
our side.
If there is no family to take care of an
infant , the infant will eventually die.
As the individual grows , he or she
begins to experience life outside the
home and begins to interact with
other people in different settings.
THE SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY

THOMAS HOBBES- persons in their natural

states are governed by their desires and
these often lead to conflict with their
fellowmen.

Society , therefore , is the means by which

people seek to control their natural
tendencies and impose order.
SOCIAL CONTRACT- is an agreement where
individuals sacrifice an amount of their
fredom and submit to a higher authority.
JOHN LOCKE- Considered persons in their
natural states as more cooperative and
reasonable, and that society is formed
thorugh the consent of the individuals that
organized it.
This concept is known as the CONSENT OF
THE GOVERNED.
Social contract is a covenant among
individuals to cooperate and share the
burden of upholding the welfare of society.
The authority established to run society
should reflect the ideals of the people who
organized it.
JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU- advocate the
concept of the “GENERAL WILL”.

People are the ones who organized society

and established an authority or government.

The government is able to impose its will on

the people

This is based on the assumption that the

people have empowered the government the
government to act on their behalf, and that
is considered to be the best judge of what is
most beneficial for society.
 THE HUMAN PERSON IN SOCIETY
Recognize how individuals form societies and how
individuals are transformed by societies
The information superhighway that we know today
gives more focus on
1.Computer hardware
2.Software
3.And systems in terms of contribution to society
SOREN KIERKEGAARD- rather than being ourselves,
we tend to conform to an image or idea associated
with being a certain type of person. For example, if
we create the people we want to be or the ideal
versions of ourselves in our Facebook profiles, then
we conform to the pattern.
 Type of Society Characteristic

his is the first kind of society in the world formed

T

by humans. In this society, the primary role of

humans is to hunt and gather food for their
survival. They don’t have a permanent place to
reside because they transferred from one place to
another place where food such as plants and
Hunting and Gathering animals are abundant but after they consumed
everything in that place, they look for another
where they can gather and hunt again for their
food. More so, this type of tribal society
introduces such kind of leadership where they
chose a leader to lead the society which is
 In this society, they have a permanent
place to reside to plant foods and take
care of animals for their food production
and consumption. Indeed, the population
in this society is bigger because they can
survive for a long year to sustain their
needs. This form of society is
Pastoral

characterized by the raising of animals to

supply their food especially in the regions
of the world where vegetable growing is
not possible. They also engage in buying
and selling of goods with other groups.
 This type of society where humans have
decided to settle in a particular place to
cultivate fruits and vegetables. Since
there are an abundance and surplus of
foods, they now engage in trading their
goods to other places. Aside from being a
horticulturist and trader in this society,
other types of works started such as
Horticultural

being craftsmen and carpenters. Their

population is bigger from the pastoral
society hence the rulers became more
vigilant and priests are added for
 Technology in agriculture becomes
evident. The use of animals with
agricultural tools and equipment in
cultivating land for food production
becomes essential. Women in this society
have equal rights to men to work on their
families to earn a living. They engaged in
Agricultural specialized works like being craftsmen,
educators, merchants, and traders.
Religious leaders and rulers have vital
roles to protect society from the invaders.
Hence, they formed warriors to protect
 This is one of the most crucial types of
society wherein the system of ownership
of land was first introduced. Farming is
still part of their lives. In this society, the
system of owning land becomes evident
when the owner of the land called
Feudal
“Feudal Lords” and the land they owned
are entrusted to the “Vassals” where they
hired peasants to farm the land and
knights for military protection of their
land. Political leaders such as kings and
religious leaders like priests and bishops
 In this form of society, feudalism was
gradually replaced by capitalism. This is
an economic concept of producing more
goods and services in a particular place.
Specialization in the labor force becomes
evident. Consequently, the age of
Industrial
exploration and navigation started to
look for other places to trade and get raw
materials for production. Society
becomes more organized and systematic.
Societal leaders become powerful and
skilled laborers become dominant.
 A society where advanced
technology becomes dominant.
Manufacturing and production
of foods and services are more
evident. Countries like the
United States, Japan, the
Post-Industrial

United Kingdom, Singapore,

and other first world countries
dominate the world as
 This is the current society we are
living in today, where most people
become dependent on virtual and
electronic transactions in
communication and information.
Government and private
establishments are the leading
Virtual

promoters of this for faster and

easier services for the people. In all
aspects of society, the use of the
internet, automated, electronic, and
HUMAN PERSONS ARE ORIENTED TOWARD
THEIR IMPENDING DEATH
: impending means coming soon, would
mean someone will die soon.

Recognizing the meaning of one’s life

Who am I? What is the meaning of life?
This chapter shall evaluate the meaning of
life and various perspectives of human
limitations such as death. It is vital that
the learners contribute in identifying their
own goals and to be aware of the meaning
of life.
Have you ever wondered about how
nothing seems to last forever?
Objects get worn out until they can’t be
used anymore , food and drinks expire,
and trends become outdated after
sometime. Evenmore , what about the
cycle of being born, growing up,getting
sick,and dying.
THESE POINT TO ONE VERY IMPORTANT
REALILTY ABOUT OUR HUMAN
CONDITION: WE ARE TEMPORAL BEINGS
OR BEINGS ORIENTED TOWARDS DEATH.
HOW DOES THE REALITY OF DEATH
DEFINE OUR LIVES ?
DEATH- is commonly understood as the end of
bodily functions which signals the end of a
person’s life.
It refers to the separation of the body and the
spirit.
As mentioned earlier, the human person is an
embodied spirit.
The body , being material , is bound by the laws of
time and space and is subject to growth, death and
decay.
The spirit being immaterial, will continue to exist
even after the body has passed.
Everything that came to being
in this universe will eventually
come to an end. WE are born
into human life, we grow and
age, and we eventually die.
This paradox defines the
uniqueness of human
existence.
The focus on this limit has led to
several attitudes towards death.
1.There are people who deny the idea of human
decline and death.
2.Some people rely on anti-aging treatments and
products to make them look, feel and think that
they are younger than they really are.
3.Others focus on experiencing intense moments
and feelings in order to feel alive becauase no
one really knows when life will end.
THIS HAS GIVEN RISE TO VARIOUS
EXPRESSIONS SUCH AS # YOLO ( You Only
Live Once) and eat, drink and be merry for
tomorrow we die.
SELF – DETERMINATION- the
capacity to choose and act for
oneself.
While there is no freedom in the
inevitability of death, a person
can still exercise freedom in
choosing how to face the reality
of death in their lives.
For example:
A person cannot stop himself from growing
old.
However , he or she cam choose to embrace
aging gracefully.
You may have seen older people who take
pride in their gray hairs, wrinkles, and the
fact that they have grandchildren.
Other people, however, teke a different path
and use any means to mask their physical
aging such as getting cosmetic surgery ro
availing of age-defying treatments.
As biological beings bound by natural
laws and the inevitability of death , we
cannot stop aging and the eventual
decline of our bodies.
However, we can definitely choose tos
pend our lives doing good and
reasonable things or even go agints
what is good.
The person , therefore , is the outhor
and protaganist who determines the
development and conclusion of his or
her life story.
Good Source of Happiness
1.Noble good is one which is pursued
for its own sake, example is love and
friendship.
2.Useful good is found only from what
it can provide, example, money is good
as it can buy you something.
3.Pleasurable good is good so long as it
provides some form of pleasure, though
it does not have to be physical.
Have you ever wondered about how
nothing seems to last forever?
Objects get worn out until they can’t
be used anymore, food and drinks
expire, and trends become outdated
after some time. Even more, what
about the cycle of being born,
growing up, getting sick, and dying?
These point to one very important
reality about our human condition:
we are temporal beings or “beings
Suffering
We have been aware of the
ambiguities of human life. Every
affirmative aspect of our being
seems to have its polar
opposite. For instance,
transcendence carries no
guarantee of any true progress;
self- importance supplies the
focus of inhuman selfishness.
Forms of Suffering:
1. Physical Pain – The most common form of suffering. It is what most
people refer to when they say something hurts on their body and is
associated with damage to tissues of their body. Pain makes it possible
for us to feel compassion for those who are suffering. The experience
of pain could arouse in us a lively and understanding compassion. In
this sense, pain contributes to human solidarity.
2. Mental or Spiritual Suffering – This suffering is associated with
frustration, deprivation, failure or loss. These happen when a person
realizes her finitude (finitude is the state of having limits or bounds).
To know and accept finitude is perhaps the most important step
towards personhood.
3. Guilt – It is a kind of inward pain or discomfort, a warning that
something is wrong at the level of human personal being.
4. Vicarious Suffering – It is the most acute suffering of all. We could
endure suffering that affects us but not that which affects others which
we cannot do anything about it.
Concept of Man and Death
• Jean Paul Sartre – According to Sartre death removes all
meaning, it empties the meaning of life.
• Karl Jaspers - For Jaspers, death is a limit situation.
Death is an ultimate end in human existence, bringing us to
a point where we have to face the most serious questions
about the meaning and goal of human life.
• Martin Heidegger – Death allows human life to have
meaning. If human were immortal and life went on forever,
there could be no unifying pattern for it. Death is a
boundary that gives a perspective within which priorities
can be set and the various events and possibilities of life are
seen and interrelationships as parts of sense-giving to the
whole of life.
Martin’s Heidegger’s Concept of Man & Death
A. Man
1. Being-there VS being there
• Man as a Dasein (German: Da – there; Sein – being) – Dasein is the
self-constituting activity because we observe what man does. The being
of man is “being-there” (Filipino: Nandito ako sa kinakatayuan ko;
Nandiyan ka sa mundo mo). Hence, it is a phenomenological
understanding of man, of human existence.
• Man, as being-in-the-world (with hyphen means that there is
interconnection of one’s existence). Being is alongside with things
called concern. Man is being-with-others because man has a bundle of
possibilities. He is the power to be what he wants to become and the
fundamental structure of Dasein is CARE which is the constancy of the
human spirit to realize himself; thus, man is a project unto himself.

• On the other hand, man as a being in the world (without hyphen

means there is separation) is merely being alongside with things talks
only about the physical world.
For Martin Heidegger, man is not only a being-in-the-world
but he is also a being-towards-death. He is not a being-at-
an-end but as a being-towards-the end. Death is therefore
the greatest possibility of man, a “not-yet” which will be.
1. Inauthenticity VS Authenticity
a. Inauthenticity is the attitude of a “they-self” or “crowd
mentality”. Death is just an event because “everybody dies
anyway. It is a non-acceptance of your greatest possibility. It
is a tranquilized indifference towards one’s finality. It is an
impassioned freedom towards death.
b. Authenticity is a positive response or attitude. Man faces
his death as his greatest possibility. It is an anticipation of
one’s possibility. Death is my one and no one else; I need
acceptance of its possibility. I am anxious of my own death-
anxiety.
1. Four Fears of Death
a . Fear of the process of dying: When people say that they fear death, it is
not really death itself as an end state that they fear, but rather the physical
and psychological process of death. They fear that they suffer terribly. They
fear pain and agony. They fear the torment of letting for and leaving behind
everyone and everything they love.
b . Fear of punishment: Some people who say that they fear death actually
harbor anxieties about one particular possible set of events that they fear
it might happen after their bodily death. It is the fear of what might happen
after passing to the world of the dead. Is it heaven or hell?
c . Fear of unknown: This fear is related to our deep need to feel in control.
When we know what is going on, we have a sense of control over our
fortunes. However, the unknown allows for no sure plans or reasonable
expectation.
d . Fear of Annihilation (Extinction): This is the fear of death that gives many
contemporary men night terrors. Man find himself suddenly aware that they
will inevitably face death, and that what they will confront may in fact be
the total cessation of conscious experience, the annihilation of the person
they have been, forever.
 No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want
to die to get there. And yet death is a destination we all share. No one has ever
escaped it. And that is as it should be, because death is very likely the single
best invention of life. It is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way
for the new. Right now, the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you
will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but
it is quite true.
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by
dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise
of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the
courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you
truly want to become. Everything else is secondary
What are the signs of impending death?
They could have:
Different sleep-wake patterns.
Little appetite and thirst.
Fewer and smaller bowel movements and less
pee.
More pain.
Changes in blood pressure, breathing, and
heart rate.
Body temperature ups and downs that may
leave their skin cool, warm, moist, or pale.
 Have you ever wondered about how nothing seems to last forever?
Objects get worn out until they can’”t be used anymore, food and drinks
expire, and trends become outdated after sometime. Even more, what
about the cycle of being born, growing up,getting sick and dying. These
point to one very important reality about our human conditions : WE ARE
TEMPORAL BEINGS OR BEING TOWARDS DEATH.

HOW DOES THE REALITY OF DEATH DEFINE OUR LIVES?

Death-the end of bodily functions which signals the end of a person’s
life
-Refers to the separation of the body and the spirit.

-The body , being material, is boound by laws of time and space and is
subject to growth, death and decay. The spirit, being immaterial , will
continue to exist even after the body has passed.
Authentic Dialogue --The practice of
speaking one's personal truth and
listening well to others for deeper
understanding
shared meaning is the glue that holds
people and organizations together.
Good dialogue involves talking with our
body, emotions, intellect, and spirit.
Listening is a crucial element of
effective dialogue. To have an authentic
dialogue it is necessary for the par-
ticipants to be in a mind-set of
discovery
What does it mean to have
conversation?
A1 (a) talk between two or more
people in which thoughts,
feelings, and ideas are
expressed, questions are asked
and answered, or news and
information is exchanged: She
had a strange conversation with
the man who moved in upstairs.
When two individuals begin to
view each other as an OTHER- that
is,truly acknowledging each others
presence – then that is the
beginning of an auhtentic
relationship and a dialogue.

This deeper and more substantial

interaction is called a DIALOGUE.
DIALOGUE- is an interaction between
persons that happens through speech
or the use of words, expressions , and
bodily language.
-Is not confined to words,
actions ,gestures and other
expressions may be used to convey a
person’s inner life.
-Dialogue are rooted in each person’s
inner life.
-Only beings with interiority or an inner
life can engage in a dialogue.
When a person interacts in a
selfless manner and sees
himself in each other’s person,
we call this a dialogue. As
Kohlrieser (2006), stipulated, a
dialogue is an exchange in
which people discover
something new. A dialogue is
created when the self and the
other fully understands and
The dialogue, therefore, becomes a
means by which persons are able to
share in each other’’s lives.

A dialogue occurs when two persons

“open up” too each other and give and
receive one another in their encounter .

Genuine dialogue- occurs when persons

are willing to share themslves with one
another
In an authentic dialogue
seeks out a person whom you
consider most trustworthy
and reliable to listen to your
thoughts and concerns
The following are some of the characteristics of a dialogue:

1. EMPATHY. This is our ability to share the emotions of our fellow

human beings. We are aware that the other is also a person with feelings
and thoughts just like us. This will give us the information regarding
the emotional states of others. If they are happy, we also become happy
for them but if they are sad and angry, we would also feel the same way.
Indeed, it is empathy that will allow us to share in another person’s
emotions and place ourselves in their shoes.

2. AVAILABILITY. This is our willingness to be accessible to others and

be at their disposal whenever necessary. It happens for instance when
someone needs your help. Availability is making you open for this
opportunity anytime and in any circumstance.

3. ETHICS OF CARE. This is a theory that underscores on the moral

dimension of human relationships. It emphasizes on the moral
obligation of humans in helping out people especially those that are
needy. We must see to it that our help must be responsive and specific
to the needs of the people. Our motive of helping must only stem out
from the desire of a good and willing heart. Beyond this, there is nothing
There are also those which are negative and influenced by
selfish motives. Some of them would include the following:

1. ALIENATION. When one starts seeing the other person as

a means towards an end, the feeling of alienation starts.
When he would see his interaction with others as deceptive
and inauthentic, alienation takes place. One example is how
a maid is poorly treated in a rich family - her food different
from what is taken by the family and making her wear
demoralizing uniforms just to let others know that she is
the maid and they are her superiors.

2. SEEMING ATTITUDE. This takes place when we act

according to how people expect or think of us. It may also
be that we act or behave to intentionally deceive others.
“Sipsip” and “plastic” are just but some descriptions we give
to these manipulative behaviours.