INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

MODULE 2 | INTERSUBJECTIVITY

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’

Elements of Interpersonal Relationships

A dialogue is an interaction between two persons that happens through speech or the use of
words, expressions, and body language. The person is a being who is open to others that can
receive others in a dialogue.

A dialogue occurs when two persons “open up” to each other and give and receive one another
in their encounter. Genuine dialogue occurs when persons are willing to share themselves with
one another period, the awareness of each other’s presence as a true person defined by the
acceptance of each other’s uniqueness and differences.

Philosophers agree that this is important for humans to pursue and achieve genuine relationships
to attain development. The human person is considered as a “being with others,” which means
that his or her identity and destiny are shaped by relating with others. Human existence is a
continual dialogue with the other, and that the self becomes whole through interaction with other
people and his or her surroundings.

Interpersonal thus, is a word we used in describing interactions (pakikipag-ugnayan 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).

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’

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 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

From this, we can conclude that 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. To further get its meaning, study the
excerpt from the song.

Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko
by VST & Co.

Ang isang pag-ibig

Ay parang lansangan
Na pandalawahan
Kaya’t sa ating awit
Tayo ay magbigayan

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.”

Empathy, or the ability to share emotions, is an important aspect of intersubjectivity. This

emotion is driven by a person’s awareness that the other is a person with thoughts and feelings.
Another characteristic of a meaningful and genuine human relationship is availability, or the
willingness of a person to be present and be at the disposal of another.

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What Philosophers Say About Intersubjectivity

Intersubjectivity is universal. It exists when and where humans exist. It is an undeniable reality
which thinkers could not help but discuss. Here are some philosophers who took philosophical
inquiry on intersubjectivity:

1. Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) one of the main ideas of Confucianism is Ren or

“human-heartedness.” It is a virtue central to man that can be found in his sociality
or intersubjectivity. In his philosophy, Confucius stresses order and harmony in the
world. His aims can be achieved through practical, concrete, particular, and
perceptual ways. This means Confucian thinking on intersubjectivity is practical
humanism. There is an emphasis on human actions in sociality. He calls every man to
love the other through actions, not through thoughts.

2. Martin Buber (1878-1965) is a Jewish philosopher who introduced the “I-Thou”

and “I-It” relationships to embody his philosophy of intersubjectivity. For Buber, we
have to treat another person as a subject being different from things or objects).
Persons are not inanimate objects to be used. They have their own mind and free will,
thus, we have to respect others as we respect ourselves. “I” refers to the self and
“Thou” or “You” refers to others. This “1-Thou relationship is the most meaningful
relationship in the realm of humanity. The “I” is the same with the “Thou” and there
should be mutual relationship between them. We can only recognize the self in the
context of the other. This is a “person-to-person” relationship, “subject-to-subject”
relation.. We need to accept, respect, be sincere, and have dialogue with the other..

3. Karol Wojtyla (1920-2005) He is also St. John Paul II but as a philosopher, we use
his real name. For Wojtyla, human action is the foundation of our being. But
human reality is also about being with others, so our actions are also directed towards
others. This form of action is now called. “Participation.” In the theory of
participation, man has the capacity to share himself to others. This affirms the reality
that man acts and exists with others. He is a member of the community of persons, a
community of “I-You” or “We.” Since man is a member of this community, his

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 experience with others gives him meaning and allows him to create meaning with
others,

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.

Actually, you have constantly experienced these two levels of interaction in your life. For
instance, as you are reading this module by the window, you have noticed that there are people
who are passing by your house. In an instant, you have become aware of the presence of these
people who are both similar and different from you in many aspects. This noticing or becoming
aware of the presence of Others already illustrates the first level of self-other interaction. But
then, suppose that one of them suddenly stops and looks straight at you in the eyes, automatically
you will become aware that this person is also conscious of your own presence as a person. This
particular self-consciousness marks the deeper level of self-other interaction.

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 referred to as seeming.

Seeming is where an individual presents himself or herself in a certain way when dealing with
others. Person’s take on role or app out characters when dealing with certain people or when in
certain situations. This is considered as an unconscious, natural app on the part of humans.

”Seeming” may behave in two forms:

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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.