INTRODUCTION TO

PHILOSOPHY
• Humanitarian
sectors( non-
government
organizations
distributing goods to
the less fortunate
people
• Underprivilege
d children
Nick Vijicic-
famous PWD
with no limbs
• Unity in
diversity
DIMENSION OF POVERTY
• Income
• Health
• Education
• Empowerment
• Working condition
 THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN
LUKE 10:25-37 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

(25) On one occasion an expert in the law stood

up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must
I do to inherit eternal life?”
(26) “What is written in the Law?” he replied.
“How do you read it?”
(27) He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with
all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your strength and with all your mind’ [a]; and,
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
(28) “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you
will live.”
(29) But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is
my neighbor?”
(30) In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to
Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his
clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. (31) A
priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw
the man, he passed by on the other side. (32) So too, a Levite, when
he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (33)
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and
when he saw him, he took pity on him. (34) He went to him and
bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man
on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. (35)
The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the
innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will
reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
(36) “Which of these three do you think
was a neighbor to the man who fell into
the hands of robbers?”
(37) The expert in the law replied, “The
one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
 QUESTIONS:

1.What virtue(s) does the parable show?

Give the instance/s where you see those
virtue/s.
2.What do you think is the reason why the
Good Samaritan helped the stranger
despite their social differences?
3.If you are the Samaritan, would you do
the same? Justify your answer.
 INTERSUBJECTIVITY
• is a coined word from the prefix “inter”
which connotes “among and between” and
the philosophical term “subject” that is
equivalent to a conscious being.
• mean in the general sense as “sharing of
subjective states by two or more
individuals.” (Scheff 2006).
• It is the organic union of the subjective
reality and the objective reality of beings.
•based on feelings or opinions
rather than facts
•relating to the way a person
experiences something in his
or her own
• Meaning to say, as a person, we have a
personal regard to self, but we cannot
deny the fact (objective – fact of reality
we all share) that we live with others,
so we also regard them as part of
ourselves. We tend to place ourselves in
others’ shoes and relate to them in
good ways as possible like what is
shown in the comic strip below:
 COMMUNARIZATION
• main principle of intersubjectivity
• a social process wherein the
community of other people are seen
as embedded within the self.
• like the concept of empathy or
“being in the shoes” of others
 THE IMPORTANCE OF
INTERSUBJECTIVITY

It validates real and authentic subjective

experiences.
It facilitates interaction among individuals.
It enables individuals to look at others
equally, regardless of any physical or
socio-demographic factor.
 THE IMPORTANCE OF
INTERSUBJECTIVITY

It promotes a sense of

community and unity among
individuals.
It emphasizes that anyone can
contribute to society.
ACCEPTING ME
ACCEPTING YOU
• Another aspect of being man is his
relatedness with others. This in
philosophical terms is Intersubjectivity
or being with others.
• One manifestation of this relation with
others is accepting OTHERS AND THEIR
DIFFERENCES (the very first critical
component of intersubjectivity).
ACCEPTING OTHERS IS NOT
TO IMPOSE ON OTHERS.
• The importance of accepting the other’s
thoughts and ideas (though they might be
opposed to yours) is another manifestation
of accepting others (and their differences).
• We live in a diverse nation made up of many
different cultures, languages, races, and
backgrounds. That kind of variety can make
all our lives a lot more fun and interesting,
but only if we get along with each other. And
to do that we have to respect each other.
ACCEPTING PEOPLE FOR
WHO THEY ARE IS LOVING
THEM.
•The theme on accepting
others (their differences) is
further developed by
connecting it with the act of
loving.
 RESPECT AND
INTERSUBJECTIVITY
Respect is accepting the other person
and not trying to change them.
Our differences are positive because it
creates our identity. This means that
individual differences exist, but above
all to understand that as members of a
society we are equal. All people are due
respect for the simple fact of being
people.
 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 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 must treat another person
as a subject (a being different from things
or objects). Persons are not inanimate
objects to be used. They have their own
mind and free will; thus, we must respect
others as we respect ourselves.
 SUBJECT VS. OBJECT

•I, You, We- are the subject

•It- is a person treated as an

object
 “I-THOU” RELATIONSHIP
-MARTIN BUBER-

• “I” refers to the self and “Thou” or “You” refers to

others.
• This “IThou” 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.
• This is a “person-to-person” relationship, “subject-
to-subject” relation. We need to accept, respect,
be sincere, and have dialogue with the other.
 “I-IT” RELATIONSHIP
-MARTIN BUBER-

• An individual treats other things, people, etc., as

objects to be used and experienced.
• Essentially, this form of objectivity relates to the
world in terms of the self- how an object can
serve the individual’s interest.
• It is in fact a relationship with oneself; it is not a
dialogue, but a monologue
• Therefore, depicts separateness,
disconnectedness, and detachment
 “I-IT” VERSUS “I-THOU”
EXAMPLES

‘I-IT” “I-THOU”
 Some are strictly utilitarian.  The doctor hug and console the
You're exchanging information in husband with a dying wife,
order to do some practical thing, taking the time to look at her
like getting your taxes done. photos or read the things he’d
 You're with a friend, colleague, written about her.
spouse or neighbour, but you're  The doctor delivers bad news
not really bringing your whole with compassionate words and
self to that encounter. sadness on his eyes.
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 experience
with others gives him meaning and
allows him to create meaning with
others.
 THE APPLICATION OF
INTERSUBJECTIVITY TO SOCIETY

• Because intersubjectivity looks at others as

embedded within the self, it is safe to say that this
concept also promotes a view that all people are
equal. This would imply that people from other
sectors of society, such as those who have physical
disabilities or socioeconomic challenges, are seen as
individuals with the same potential and talents as
anybody else.
 DISABLED VS. DIFFERENTLY ABLED

• When someone is diagnosed with a

condition (like autism), they aren't
autistic, they HAVE autism. Who they are
as a person is not impacted by a medical
condition and it surely doesn't contribute
to their identity
 WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE
DIFFERENTLY ABLED?

People with mental or physical conditions are differently

abled because they possess a unique set of abilities and
perspectives.
Everybody has ability and everybody matters, it's all about
acknowledging it.
• Oftentimes, differently abled people see what we can't, hear
what we can't and think what we can't. This makes their
ability different - not inferior, not superior - just different.
 WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE
DIFFERENTLY ABLED?

• While mental conditions like autism can

affect certain everyday functions, it need not
stop them from enjoying a fulfilling, enriched
and loved life. Many differently people are
known to flourish and rejoice in life with the
right opportunity, support and love.
THE USE OF AUTHENTIC
DIALOGUE
 AUTHENTIC DIALOGUE

• Authentic dialogue is a form of

interpersonal communication wherein
individuals acknowledge that they are
part of a greater whole and that they
resonate with others within the whole.
• Dialogue is more than simply a
conversation between two or more
persons, it involves exchanging
ideas or opinions with an aim to
reach an amicable agreement or
settlement.
 HOW TO ACHIEVE A GENUINE
DIALOGUE

1. Have the right mindset. – Pay attention to what you are

focusing on when engaging in dialogue.
2. Know when to stop. - Ask yourself, “have all viewpoints
been answered?”
3. Think before you speak. – Think about what you are
saying and what you are hearing.
4. Avoid dialogue blocks. - The respondent should always
link directly to what preceded.
Examples:
• Accepting your classmates’ opinion on
government services because his experience
with transacting with government employees
is different from yours

• overlooking the fact that your boss yelled at

you since you understand that he only did so
out of concern over an urgent matter
 SHARING…..
• Are there instances in your life when you
feel you are treated as an object? How
does it feel?

• What do you think is the reason why

people treat others as objects?

• What do you have in mind when you treat

others as subjects?
ACTIVITY
 ACTIVITY 2

In our present society, we can notice all kinds of

differences of people in the world that may result to
inequality, injustice, and all sorts of abuses. In order
to create a better world, we must be sensitive about
these things and respond in kind manner. Below are
societal problems which need solutions from
intersubjective point of view. Understand each
statement and give concrete solutions. Use the ideas
on intersubjectivity elaborated by the philosophers
we discussed. 3-5 sentences are enough.
1.Instead of showing mercy, many people make fun
of persons with disabilities.
2.Regarding rape issue, women are blamed
because of the type of clothes they wear.
3.Many say that poor people are poor because of
their mentality.
4.Indigenous people have their own culture others
do not understand but some people make fun of
them.
5.Nowadays, some people think that psychological
problems are just excuses people do to justify
their weaknesses.
MINI PERFORMANCE TASK 1
SONG ANALYSIS

Intersubjective relationship is one of the

favorite themes of Filipino songs. Think of a
Filipino song which is about intersubjectivity.
Write down the lyrics of the song and analyze
how intersubjectivity is explored by the song.
Give also the implication of the song to
relationships you have with others. Write it
on a LONG BOND PAPER.