Lesson 1: Freedom of the Human Person from one another?

The attitude, behavior, personality and

talents that humans possess are what makes every
What is Freedom? What is the essence of freedom? individual totally different from each other because each
- The ability to make choices and perform those choices. one is bestowed with gifts that are inherent which can be
used to uplift oneself and serve others. The self and others
- The ability to be what we want and to decide and create are seen as a pair that shares each other's experiences. This
oneself. is much like the concept of empathy or "being in the shoes"
of others. Intersubjectivity looks at others as rooted within
Two concepts that will help us fully understand the self, it is safe to say that this concept also promotes a
freedom: view that all people are equal. This would imply that people
from other sectors of society, such as those who have
1. Freedom itself- ability to act or change without physical disabilities or socio- economic challenges are seen
constraint as individuals with the same potential and talents as
anybody else. Intersubjectivity facilitates interaction among
2. Free will- ability to choose different courses of action
individuals which makes us treat each other as real persons.
without restrictions. We are able to look at others equally, regardless of their
KINDS OF FREEDOM physical and socio-economic status and make us realize that
anyone can contribute to the society. With this, it promotes
1. Physical freedom a sense of community and unity among individuals.
- refers to the absence of any physical restraint.
- go where he or she wants to go. APPRECIATING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
INTERSUBJECTIVITTY is a condition of man, a subject,
2. Psychological freedom/Freedom of choice among other men, who are also subjects. It refers to the
- free to perform actions that he or she considers right shared awareness and understanding among persons. It is
and wise. made possible by the awareness of self and the other.
- free to act or not to act DIALOGUE is an interaction between persons that happens
- innate and cannot be denied through speech or the use of words, expressions, and body
language. It occurs when two persons "open up" to each
3. Moral freedom
other, give, and receive one another in their encounter.
- refers to using freedom in a manner that upholds Martin Buber, an Australian-born Israeli Jewish
human dignity and goodness Philosopher, human intersubjectivity is a true encounter
through the three spheres of dialogue that "I" engages in.
Lesson 2: Elements of Freedom The THOU is the encounter between man and man where
language is exchanged and is described as always mutual,
Two elements that define freedom:
real, and direct; it is an evidence of the reality of human
1. Voluntariness- It is the ability of a person to act of his or intersubjectivity through language.
her own free will and self-determination.
Intersubjectivity has significant contributions to society and
2. Responsibility refers to the person being accountable for relationships, including the following: • It validates real and
his or her action and their consequences. authentic subjective experiences. • It facilitates interaction
among individuals. • It enables individuals to look at others
Prudence- is the ability to govern and discipline oneself equally, regardless of any physical or socio- demographic
with the use of reason. factor. • It promotes a sense of community and unity among
individuals. • It emphasizes that anyone can contribute to
Self-reflection- allows each person to analyze his life both society. The concept of intersubjectivity also promotes a
in small and big details in terms of the decisions, actions view that all people are equal. Intersubjectivity is unbiased
and choices he make. The following are some authentic examples of
disadvantaged individuals who have significantly
contributed to society: 1. Stephen Hawking- He is a
INTERSUBJECTIVITY physicist and cosmologist who, despite his rare medical
condition called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), made
ACCEPTING DIFFERENCES significant contributions to contemporary studies of
The interaction between the self and the other is related to relativity and quantum physics. 2. Oprah Winfrey- As a
the philosophical concept of INTERSUBJECTIVITY child, Oprah Winfrey experienced living in a poor
which is the mutual recognition of each other as persons. household and was sexually abused. Despite this, she
Important values related to intersubjectivity include motivated herself to succeed and did so by being one of the
acceptance of differences and embracing diversity. What riches women alive today. "All real living is a meeting" "All
unites us all is our shared HUMANITY and DIGNITY. actual life is encounter" - Martin Buber Despite their
ACCEPTING OTHERS What makes a person different limitations, many of them have successfully transcended
their disabilities to become productive and happy
individuals. HELEN KELLER (1880-1968) was an
American author, political activist, and the first deaf- blind
person to earn a bachelor's degree. NICHOLAS JAMES
"NICK" VUJICIC is an Australian evangelist and
motivational speaker who was born with phocomelia, a
condition in which a person is born with no arms and legs.
ROSELLE AMBUBUYOG. She is the first visually-
impaired Filipino to graduate summa cum laude from
Ateneo de Manila in 2001. Despite her handicap (loss of
vision), she was a consistent honors student. Various
advocacies supporting persons with disabilities have
resulted in the institution of events and commemorations
such as PARALYMPICS, an international sport competition
modeled after the Olympics that features athletes with
disabilities. The United Nations has also instituted days of
awareness. Such as World Down Syndrome Day (March
21), World Autism Awareness Day (April 2), and
International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December
3). These events bring together "able" and "disabled" people
in the spirit of friendship and cooperation.