Week 11-12 INTERSUBJECTIVITY

The term "intersubjectivity" was coined from the prefix "inter," which means "among and
between," and the philosophical term "subject," which means "conscious being." As a result,
intersubjectivity might be defined as "the sharing of subjective states by two or more individuals."
(Scheff 2006). It is the organic fusion of a person's subjective and objective realities.

What do Philosophers say about Intersubjectivity?

1.Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) – Ren, or "humanheartedness," is one of Confucianism's basic
concepts. It is a central human virtue that can be discovered in his intersubjectivity or sociality.
Confucius emphasizes world order and harmony in his philosophy. His objectives can be met in
real, concrete, specific, and perceptive ways.
2. Martin Buber (1878-1965) –Jewish philosopher Buber developed the terms "I-Thou" and "I-It" to
express his intersubjectivity philosophy, emphasizing treating others as subjects with their own
thoughts and free will, respecting their ego, and recognizing the most meaningful relationship with
humanity.

I-IT RELATIONSHIP:
- The first mode, which Buber calls "experience" (the mode of 'I—it'), is the mode that modern
man almost exclusively uses. A man gathers facts about the world through experience, analyzes,
classifies, and theorizes about it.

I-THOU RELATIONSHIP:
Buber's "encounter" mode involves both the "I" and the "other" engaging in a genuine
relationship, where humans perceive each other as a whole being, with the "other" being
transformed into a "Thou" or "You" in this dialogue.

Love is an I-Thou relationship where the "I" gains an authentic existence through its relationship
with the "Thou," fostering compassion, respect, commitment, and responsibility

3. Karol Wojtyla (1920-2005) – He is also known as Pope John Paul II, but as a philosopher, we refer
to him by his full name. Human action, according to Wojtyla, is the foundation of our being.
However, because human reality also involves being with others, our behaviors are also directed at
others. This type of conduct is now referred to as "Participation."
The Phenomenology of Intersubjective Relationship Jurgen Habermas's Theory of
Communicative Action
Communication aims for mutual understanding, deepening relationships, building trust, and
fostering friendships. However, life experiences often show otherwise.

In his book Communication and the Evolution of Society, he defines "universal conditions of
possible comprehension" and emphasizes speech actions as the most common method for
acquiring understanding.

According to Jurden Habermas, Anyone who engages in a speech act/dialogue, must meet the
following requirements:
1. Both the speaker and the listener must utilize mutually understandable expressions.
2. The speaker must use a true proposition for the listener to share in the speaker's knowledge;
3. The speaker must be truthful in his intention for the listener to trust him;
4. Both the speaker and the listener must agree on the proper utterance in light of a recognized
normative background (Ibid., pp. 2-3).

The purpose of communicative action is to obtain a mutually satisfactory agreement or

understanding with the use of dialogue and communication skills, not to force or influence the
other's decision (Baynes 1998, 195; Rasmussen, 1990, p. 27).

Dialogue promotes mutual understanding, respect, and understanding among diverse

communities, fostering authentic relationships, overcoming stereotypes, and providing new
perspectives, ultimately strengthening bonds of friendship and alliance.

Emmanuel Levinas’s Face of the Other

Emmanuel Levinas (1906-1995) is best known as a French philosopher, he was born in Russia, in
Kovno (now Kaunas), Lithuania in 1906 to a Jewish family rich in Jewish cultural traditions.
Levinasian ethics emphasizes unconditional duty to others, rejecting traditional moral laws and
regulations, contrasting with Buber's focus on relationships

Levinas offers lots of good insights for achieving authentic intersubjective relationships, which in a
way complement what lacks in Buber’s I-Thou relationship.

1. Levinas ethics reminds us of our moral obligation and endless responsibility to people with
disabilities, the underprivileged, and even the LGBT community, whose weakness and vulnerability
have been exploited by society.

2. Being ethical, according to Levinas, means being open to, prepared for, and inspired by the
radical difference of the other.
3. Levinas encourages us to consider why we give, care for, and assist others. We are always
inspired to do good things for others because we are human.

Intersubjectivity is unbiased, it is recognized that everyone has the ability to comprehend

relationships and interactions, as well as communications within a society, regardless of social or
physical limitations.

Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and Underprivileged Sectors of Society The

Philippine Government
● The Philippine government supports persons with disabilities (PWDs) to find a job.
● It is a common misconception that they are less productive.
● In reality, PWDs do face several challenges in seeking work, including inaccessibility of
workplace transportation, discrimination, and a negative assessment of their capacity.
● According to the National Statistics Office, around 1.44 million Filipinos in the employable
15-64 age range have some sort of disability as of 2014.v

Law that Protects PWDs

✓ EQ 417 requires all national government agencies and state-owned enterprises to allow
at least 1% of their yearly budget for sector-related activities.

✓ EQ 417 highlights the necessity for the government to provide funding for PWDs'
livelihood activities, which includes labor department support for technical skills.

The underprivileged sector in the society

• The majority of the world's poor people live in poverty.
• Less fortunate people do not have these rights or privileges, and they may not have access to
proper food or adequate medical care.
• Poverty may raise the chances of becoming disabled.