INTRODUCTION TO
PHILOSOPHY OF THE
HUMAN PERSON
Lesson 6:
Intersubjectivity
Intersubjectivity:
How do we as human persons relate to others?
◦Humans have the natural and universal
tendency to relate
◦Interpersonal relations are made possible
when the self becomes aware of the
other
◦The other includes everyone outside the self
Intersubjectivity:
How do we as human persons relate to others?
◦Our human nature not only enables us to
recognize the self that defines our
individuality, it also enables us to recognize
that other human beings also possess a self
◦This notion of recognizing the self in the
other is how philosophers define
interpersonal relations
Intersubjectivity:
How do we as human persons relate to others?
◦Our human nature not only enables us to
recognize the self that defines our
individuality, it also enables us to recognize
that other human beings also possess a self
◦This notion of recognizing the self in the
other is how philosophers define
interpersonal relations
Intersubjectivity:
How do we as human persons relate to others?
◦The interaction between the self and the other is
related to the philosophical concept of
intersubjectivity
◦Intersubjectivity is the mutual recognition of each
other as persons
◦Intersubjectivity also carries the meaning of “a
unique relationship between distinct subjects”
Intersubjectivity:
How do we as human persons relate to others?
◦There are 2 levels of self-other interactions:
◦The simple awareness of the existence of the
other
◦The deeper level of interaction between the self
and the other is the awareness of the self as
being seen by others. This self-consciousness is
considered by philosophers as a defining
characteristic of the self-other relationship.
Intersubjectivity:
How do we as human persons relate to others?
◦The awareness of the self in the other is an important
element in all other aspects of interpersonal
interactions
◦Seeming is when an individual presents himself or
herself in a certain way when dealing with others
◦Persons take on roles or act out characters when
dealing with certain people or when in certain
situations
Intersubjectivity:
What characterizes genuine human interaction?
◦Dialogue is the deeper and more genuine
interaction, this is made possible when the
self realizes that the other is a genuine and
unique individual
◦A dialogue is an interaction between two
persons that happens through speech or the
use of words, expressions, and body language
Intersubjectivity:
How does intersubjectivity define our interactions with other
persons?
◦The human person is considered as a being with
others which means that the human person’s
identity and destiny are shaped by relating with
others
◦Empathy is the ability to share emotions, to “put
one’s self into some one else’s shoes”
◦Empathy is an important aspect of intersubjectivity
Intersubjectivity:
How does intersubjectivity define our interactions with other
persons?
◦Not all human interactions are positive
◦There are those who view other people negatively
and consider human actions as being influenced
by selfish interests
◦Alienation is the negative view experienced
when human relations is considered as
frustrating and often inauthentic or deceptive
Intersubjectivity:
How can philosophy help you evaluate your relationship
with others?
◦Important values related to intersubjectivity include
acceptance of differences and embracing diversity
◦The recognition of our shared humanity and dignity is
what drives us to extend assistance and act with
concern towards others, especially toward individuals
or groups that experience hardships and
discrimination
Intersubjectivity:
How can philosophy help you evaluate your relationship
with others?
◦Helen Keller (1880-1968)
◦ American author, political activist, and the first
deaf and blind person to earn a bachelor’s
degree
◦ Lost her sight and hearing as an infant due to
illness
◦ Learned how to “hear” people’s speech by
feeling their lips with her hands
◦ Eventually learned how to speak and became a
well-known public speaker
Intersubjectivity:
Realize that Intersubjectivity Requires Accepting Differences
and Not to Impose on Others
◦ Pope St. John Paul II (born Karol Wojtyla, 1920-
2005)
◦ Pope from 1978 to 2005. Born in Poland, the first
non-Italian pope since 1523.
◦ Criticized the traditional definition of the human
being as “rational animal”; he maintained that the
human person is the one who exists and acts
(conscious acting, has a will, has self-determination).
◦ For St. John Paul, action reveals the nature of
the human agent
Intersubjectivity:
Appreciate the Talents of Persons with Disabilities and
Those from Underprivileged Sectors of Society
◦On the Rights of Women
◦Jean Jacques Rousseau said that women should
be educated to please men
◦Mary Wollstonecraft argued that such education
would produce women who are mere
propagators of fools
◦For Wollstonecraft, women should not just be
valued until their beauty fades
