Senior High School

Introduction to the Philosophy

of the Human Person
Module 6:
Intersubjectivity

AIRs - LM

LU_Introduction to Philosophy_Module 6
INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
Module 6: Intersubjectivity
Second Edition, 2021

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La Union Schools Division
Region I

All rights reserved. No part of this module may be reproduced in any form without written
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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_Module 6
 Senior High School

Introduction to the Philosophy

of the Human Person
Module 6:
Intersubjectivity

LU_Introduction to Philosophy_Module 6
Introductory Message
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, our dear
learners, can continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities,
questions, directions, exercises, and discussions are carefully stated for you
to understand each lesson.

Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you
step-by-step as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.

Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in

each SLM. This will tell you if you need to proceed on completing this module
or if you need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for better
understanding of the lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer
the post-test to self-check you’re learning. Answer keys are provided for each
activity and test. We trust that you will be honest in using these.

In addition to the material in the main text, Notes to the Teacher are
also provided to our facilitators and parents for strategies and reminders on
how they can best help you on your home-based learning.

Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on
any part of this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises
and tests. And read the instructions carefully before performing each task.

If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in

answering the tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher
or facilitator.

Thank you.

LU_Introduction to Philosophy_Module 6
 Target

In the previous lessons, we have focused on the sense of wonder that is

essential to the act of philosophizing. In this lesson, we relocate this sense of
wonder in the other, who is just as infinitely rich in reality as ourselves.
Two important things need to be recalled. First is the concept of
embodiment which marks our unique place in time and space. Someone else
can never take our physical, historical, and social position. Despite our
fundamental uniqueness, we are still capable of understanding others even if
their position is completely different from our own.
We usually hear the saying “No man is an island”. There is no doubt
that an average person understands this quotation despite the universal
understanding we have about it, we still express in various ways our belief on
“being with others”. We have varying degrees of affection and regard towards
others and ourselves as well which may come from our unique experiencing
of social reality.
We cannot understand others by simply observing them from a
distance. We need to genuinely listen to them. It is in communication where
they open up their unique world to us. It is only through communication
where we can have access to their inner reality.
Intersubjectivity is a structure of relationship that is supported by
genuine communication. This is what this chapter is focused on. The module
is divided into three lessons, namely:
• Lesson 1- Meaning of Intersubjectivity
• Lesson 2– Authentic dialogue and Interaction with the Disadvantaged
• Lesson 3- Embracing Differences
Most Essential Learning Competency:
a. Realize that intersubjectivity requires accepting differences and not
imposing on others.
b. Explain that authentic dialogue means accepting others even if they
are different from themselves; and
c. Performs activities that demonstrate an appreciation for the talents
of persons with disabilities and those from the underprivileged
sectors of society.
After going through this lesson and learning materials you are expected to:
1. Discuss intersubjectivity and how it defines human interactions
and relationships
2. Explain that authentic dialogue means accepting others even if they
are different from themselves.
3. Appreciate the talents and contributions to society of differently
abled persons and those from the underprivileged sectors of society.
4. Demonstrate appreciation for the talents of persons with disabilities
and those from the underprivileged sectors of society.

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
 Jumpstart

Activity 1: My Impression!
Directions: What is your impression about the picture below? Use the guide
questions and the following word below to share your impression. Write your
answer in a separate sheet of paper. Your answers will be graded based on
the attach scoring rubrics.

https://www.pinterest.ph/philohme/disability-awareness/
Guide Questions:
1. What is intersubjectivity?
2. How is it related with respect?
3. Do you know people who have disabilities and underprivileged?
4. How do you deal with them?
Rubric
Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs work
Category
(5) (4) (3) (2)
Writing is One idea may The The ideas
Ideas clear and easy be not be composition is do not
to understand relevant somewhat make
confusing. sense.
The The The The
composition composition composition composition
creates has clear and needs details does not
Organization interest, well- interesting to make it have a clear
developed and beginning, interesting. beginning,
satisfying. middle, and middle, or
end. end.
The The The The
composition composition composition composition
has a lot of has some has a few has no
Word Choice powerful and powerful and powerful and powerful
exciting words exciting exciting words. and exciting
to enhance words. words.
the meaning.

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
 Lesson
Intersubjectivity
1

Discover

In one of the past chapters of this subject, we have learned that a

human person has self-awareness, self-determination, externality, and
dignity. We have explored that a person recognizes what he or she is and what
he or she can do.
Filipinos in general love to watch drama on TV. Perhaps, you will agree
that Ang Probinsyano became so popular not just because it is an action-
picked soap opera but also because it is filled with a lot of discussions about
relationships or interpersonal relations that all of us can easily relate to. So,
we laughed, cried felt threatened, grieves, loved, hoped, rejoiced, etc. together
with Lola Flora, Cardo, Alyana and the rest of the characters.
The word intrapersonal 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’
Intrapersonal thus, is a word we used in describing interactions
between people. In philosophy however, when we say interpersonal relations,
we are referring to interactions that exist between the Self and the Other.
The interaction between the Self and the Other is related to the
philosophical concept of intersubjectivity. Like the word interpersonal, the
word intersubjectivity also comprises of three groups of letters and/or words,
namely:
a. Inter – again this is a prefix which means ‘between’
b. Person – this refers to a person or thing that is being discussed with.
c. -al – a suffix used to form a noun 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.
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

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
mutual self-giving and receiving becomes possible because of the person’s
inner life or interiority where his or her thoughts, feelings, inner struggles,
reactions, and the like “resides.”
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.
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 self-
consciousness marks the deeper level of self-other interaction.
Intersubjectivity is a relationship that is supported by genuine
communication founded on mutual respect as subjects, and on co-presence
the openness of one’s presence to the presence of the other.
To be, to exist in a human way, is to be with. Intersubjectivity is thus
a state in which I recognize my being as a being-with-others. My life is not
human if it is centered on itself. Life becomes human, that is, it is humanized,
as soon as I de-center myself from myself, when the center of my life is on the
welfare of another. “Human living” is “living of something other than itself”.
We all live in the world surrounded by different people with different
background and personality. Relating with others and settling our differences
is not always an easy task but it’s a task that we must embrace since we all
desire to live peacefully in a world that we shared with them no matter how
different they are to us. Since we, also, benefit from living with others, like
security and companionship, we tried to establish harmonious relationship
with them. Some could say that relationship is a blessing but, perhaps, this
is not true for others who find it more of a curse. Some relationship last longer
and touches more lives, while other relationships ended even before the
relation takes root. Trust or suspicion, authentic communication or lies and
dishonesty, unconditional love or self-interest are just some of the possible
causes of strengthening or breaking human relationship. How could we
achieve and maintain good and fulfilling relationship with others who are
different from us? This will be the thrust of this chapter.
In its most general sense of that which occurs between or exists among
conscious human actors, intersubjectivity is a little more than synonyms for
the social. It denotes a set of relations, meanings, structures, practices,
experiences, or phenomena evident in human life.

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
 In another sense, Intersubjectivity is the sharing of experiential content
(feelings, perceptions, thoughts, and linguistic meanings) among a plurality of
subjects.
Intersubjectivity, refers to the condition of man, a subject, among other
men, who are also a subject. We cannot speak of man without implying and
drawing from his situatedness within the world, and this situatedness always
involves other subjects such as himself is.
Man is a being with others.
Intersubjectivity, a term originally coined by the philosopher Edmund
Husserl (1859–1938), is most simply stated as the interchange of thoughts
and feelings, both conscious and unconscious, between two persons or
“subjects,” as facilitated by empathy. To understand intersubjectivity, it is
necessary first to define the term subjectivity – i.e., the perception or
experience of reality from within one’s own perspective (both conscious and
unconscious) and necessarily limited by the boundary or horizon of one’s
own worldview. The term intersubjectivity has several usages in the social
sciences (such as cognitive agreement between individuals or groups or, on
the contrary, relating simultaneously to others out of two diverging
subjective perspectives, as in the acts of lying or presenting oneself
somewhat differently in different social situations); however, its deepest and
most complex usage is related to the postmodern philosophical concept of
constructivism.
Intersubjectivity is “the realm of existence to which the preposition
with properly applies” (Marcel, 1950: 180). There are instances in which we
use the preposition with – it doesn’t simply mean being together through
aggregation like the way passengers in a jeepney are together, let’s say, on a
rainy day, where they all cramp together, each one scrambling for space to
sit on. Their bodies may be touching, bumping, impinging on one another’s
flesh, yet we do not say that the passengers are with each other. They may
be facing each other, in the same way that family members on a dinner are
faced toward each other, but the presence of one passenger with another
passenger is not a co-presence.
To be with the other is to open myself to being of the other, which is a
mystery. As we have shown in our discussion of embodied spirit, we have
distinguished the treatment of a human person as “problem” from that of a
“mystery”. Being a mystery, the human being is removed from the category
of things, or of “having”. Something “I have” is an instrument that one can
possess, use, and discard after use. That is why any treatment of the person
as a mere tool can be manipulated, any treatment of a person as a beast,
leads to a cry for justice; for it does violence to the dignity and essence of a
human person. To mutually respect each other as subjects, that is
intersubjectivity.
The word “living” is a general term that covers plant, animal and
human life. The medical sciences have a specific definition of life – “the state
of existence characterized by such functions as metabolism, growth,

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
reproduction, adaptation, and response to stimuli” (Medilexicon, 2016). If we
closely look at this definition, we will note that it refers not only to human
life but to animal life in general. Marcel, however, argues that there is more
to human life other than the vital signs we share with animals in general.
This is evident in some people who experience the loss for the drive to live.
For Marcel, there is a seeming contradiction here because we use two
different senses of the word “living”. One refers to a scientific definition,
another points to a more specific form of living which Marcels singles out as
“human living.” “Human living” is “living of something other than itself”
(Marcel: 171). The center of human life is outside of itself. This is captures
in one of the teachings of Jesus Christ, said “Whoever finds his life will lose
it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39)
This is Marcels’ intuition about human life. He tests this by imagining
the life of slaves who get enraged by their situation. When slaves are reduced
into mere objects or instruments and are not given due respect as person,
there is a voice deep down that nag them, “There must be more to my life
than bearing this yoke imposed unjustly upon me.” The cruel master might
say in reply, “What is there to complain about? I give you enough money to
feed yourself. For that you are alive. Why not be contented?” What the cruel
master fails to see is that human life is not just about catering to one’s
biological sustenance. Human life must have meant.
For Marcel, we find that meaning outside of ourselves – in the other.
The French word for meaning, Sens, literally means direction. Hence, the
argument here is that life is human as it is propelled or directed towards
something other than itself. A life that is only concerned about its biological
sustenance is focused only on oneself. People who live in fear that their
properties might be taken away from them isolate themselves by putting up
high walls both literally and figuratively. When the focus is on one’s survival
and the preservation of the means for that survival, human life becomes stale
like a puddle of water that only receives and never flows onto other channels.
This makes us no different than the prey whose only concern is to survive
from his predator’s attack. It makes us no different from animals.
By contrast, people who live for others, ironically, are those who feel
more fulfilled. We learn about saints, martyrs and heroes who gave their lives
for others, and we wonder where they draw their strength and
superabundant love. For Marcel, these are the people who embraced the
reality of human living. They live for others because it is who they are; it is
what human living is. To be, to exist in human way, is to be with.
Intersubjectivity is thus a state in which one recognizes one’s being as a
being-with-others. It is not human life if it is centered on itself. It becomes
human, that is, it is humanized, as soon as one de-centers oneself from
himself, which is when the center of one’s life is on the care for the welfare
of another.

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
 Explore

Activity 2: True or False

Directions: Write True if the statement is correct and False if it is wrong.
Write your answers on a separate piece of paper.
1. Intersubjectivity refers to shared awareness and understanding
among people.
2. Man has the natural tendency to establish relationships with other
people.
3. The views and ideas of other people, as well as social context do not
influence our behavior as individuals.
4. We are primarily aware of people as objects and not as persons.
5. Seeming refers to the capacity of individuals to engage in genuine
interaction with others.

Deepen

Activity 3: Accepting Me, Accepting You!

Directions: Study the lyrics of The Sound of Silence. Write your Primary and
Secondary Reflection about the song in a separate sheet of paper.
“The Sound of Silence”
(Simon & Garfunkel)
Hello darkness, my old friend that voices never share
I've come to talk with you again and no one dare
Because a vision softly creeping disturb the sound of silence
Left its seeds while I was sleeping “Fool,” said I, “you do not know
And the vision that was planted in my brain Silence, like a cancer, grows.
Still remains Within the sound of silence Hear my words that I might teach you
In restless dreams I walked alone Take my arms that I might reach you.”
Narrow streets of cobblestone But my words like silent raindrops fell
'Neath the halo of a streetlamp And echoed in the wells of silence
I turned my collar to the cold and damp And the people bowed and prayed
When my eyes were stabbed To the neon God they made
by the flash of a neon light And the sign flashed out its warming
That split the night And the words that it was forming
And touched the sound of silence And the sign said,
And in the naked light I saw “The words of the prophets
Ten thousand people, maybe more Are written on the subway walls
People talking without speaking And tenement halls.”
People hearing without listening And whispered in the sound of
People writing songs silence

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
 1. Does the song explain intersubjectivity? How?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Rubrics
Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs work
Category
(5) (4) (3) (2)
Writing is One idea may The composition The ideas do
Ideas clear and easy be not be is somewhat not make
to understand relevant confusing. sense.
The The The composition The
composition composition needs details tocomposition
creates has clear and make it does not have
Organization interest, well- interesting interesting. a clear
developed and beginning, beginning,
satisfying. middle, and middle, or
end. end.
The The The composition The
composition composition has a few composition
has a lot of has some powerful and has no
Word choice powerful and powerful and exciting words. powerful and
exciting words exciting words. exciting
to enhance words.
the meaning.

Activity 4: Answer Me
Directions: Answer the following. Write your answer in a separate sheet of
paper.
1.Translate the following into your mother tongue:
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
What do those lines from “The Sound of Silence” mean?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
2. What kind of relationship is described by the words: How does talking differ
from speaking? Hearing from listening? Illustrate with examples from
everyday life experience.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. Between hearing and listening, talking, and speaking, which do you
prefer? Why?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. Can you describe the people described in “The Sound of Silence” as “so
near yet so far”? Why or why not?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Rubrics
Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs work
Category
(5) (4) (3) (2)
Writing is One idea may The The ideas do
Ideas clear and easy be not be composition is not make
to understand relevant somewhat sense.
confusing.
The The The The
composition composition composition composition
creates has clear and needs details to does not
Organization interest, well- interesting make it have a clear
developed and beginning, interesting. beginning,
satisfying. middle, and middle, or
end. end.
The The The The
composition composition composition composition
has a lot of has some has a few has no
Word choice powerful and powerful and powerful and powerful and
exciting words exciting exciting words. exciting
to enhance words. words.
the meaning.

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
 Authentic Dialogue and
Lesson
Interaction with the
2
Disadvantaged

Discover

Most human interaction, however, are based on deception period since

our human drives us to uphold dignity and goodness, our interactions with
others are also geared toward what is good and beneficial. This led humans
to strive to achieve deeper and more substantial interactions and relations
with other people. This deeper and more genuine interactions is called a
dialogue – and this is made possible when the self realizes that the other is
genuine and unique individual.
A dialogue is an interaction between two persons that happens through
speech or the use of words, speech or the use of words, expressions, and body
language. The person is a being who is open to other that can receive others
in a dialogue. Ordinarily, we think of it as a kind of communication that
usually occurs through a conversation. However, it must be noted that
dialogue is not confined to words. Actions, gestures, and other expressions
maybe used to convey a person’s inner life. Because persons are beings with
inner lives, the words uttered during a dialogue are rooted in each person’s
inner life. Whenever a person speaks, he or she expresses a personal
interiority and communicates this part of himself or herself to another person.
This is the reason why it is not possible to have a dialogue with the materials,
object, a plan, or even a pet. Only beings with interiority or an inner life can
engage in a dialogue.
A dialogue occurs when two persons “open up” to each other and give
and receive one another in this 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. When an individual enters a
dialogue with the mindset, then it is truly a dialogue between equals.
Philosophers agree that this is important for humans to pursue and
achieve genuine relationships to attain development. Human persons
naturally seek and can achieve and maintain genuine, meaningful
relationship with each other. 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.

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
What Philosophers Say About Intersubjectivity

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)

A Jewish Philosopher who introduces 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 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
“I-Thou” relationship is the most meaningful relationship in the realm
of humanity. This “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 this 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 this community, his experience with others gives him
meaning to create meaning with others.

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
 Explore

Activity 5: Differentiation
Directions: State the distinct ideas of the three philosophers. Write them in
the separate columns. Also, write the ideas where all their philosophers
agree using the space provided for.

Confucius Martin Buber Karol Wojtyla

Distinct Ideas Distinct Ideas Distinct Ideas

Shared ideas of the three Philosophers:

Rubrics:

Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs work

Category
(5) (4) (3) (2)
Writing is clear One idea may The The ideas do
Ideas and easy to be not be composition is not make
understand relevant somewhat sense.
confusing.
The The composition The The
composition has clear and composition composition
creates interesting needs details to does not have a
Organization interest, well- beginning, make it clear beginning,
developed and middle, and interesting. middle, or end.
satisfying. end.
The The composition The The
composition has some composition has composition
has a lot of powerful and a few powerful has no powerful
Word choice powerful and exciting words. and exciting and exciting
exciting words words. words.
to enhance the
meaning.

12
LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
 Deepen

Activity 6: “I Want to be your Friend”

Directions: Copy the graphic organizer and write inside the boxes the names of four
(4) people whom you consider as belonging to the underprivileged sector of your
community. Then indicate the level of your relationship with him or her using the
following symbols:

- Intimate friend - Acquaintance

- Casual Friend -Stranger

Me

1. How many of them are your intimate friend, casual friend, or

acquaintance?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. Does their condition draw you to them or hinder you from befriending
them? Explain.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

3. How should we, as human persons, relate on the underprivileged?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
Activity 7: Who Am I?

Directions: Who are these people? Choose one person whose picture is shown
below and research about his life and works. Write a reflection paper about
their significant contributions. Use separate sheet of paper for your reflection
paper.

https://wixixixi.

https://wixixixi.wixsite.com/ https://arealnews.com/ https://wixixixi.wixsite.com/

Ronel Del Rio Anna Kristina Arce Gilda Quintua-Nakahara

Rubrics:

Needs
Excellent Good Satisfactory
Category work
(5) (4) (3)
(2)
Writing is One idea The The ideas
Ideas clear and may be not composition is do not
easy to be relevant somewhat make
understand confusing. sense.
The The The The
composition compositio composition compositi
creates n has clear needs details to on does
Organization interest, and make it not have
well- interesting interesting. a clear
developed beginning, beginning
and middle, and , middle,
satisfying. end. or end.
The The The The
composition compositio composition compositi
has a lot of n has a few on has no
Word choice powerful has some powerful and powerful
and exciting powerful exciting words. and
words to and exciting
enhance the exciting words.
meaning. words.

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
Lesson
Embracing Differences
3

Discover

In this lesson, we will learn that he best way to have a more holistic
perspective is to learn from other who see things differently from us. In short,
we must learn to silence our minds that tend to totalize things and persons
and wait for the other to teach us something new. The people who need this
most are those in society whom we have already trapped within our
prejudices.

For example, we readily assume that persons with special needs have
such a pitiable and difficult life. Young points out a survey conducted in one
city in which people were asked how they would perceive their lives if they
were in the shoes of a person with special need. Majority of the respondents
said that they would find their lives worthless and that they would lose the
drive to live. Statistics in the city, however, showed that actual PWDs “usually
think that their lives are quite worth living, and strongly wish to have
discriminatory implements removed so they can live those lives as well as
possible” (Young, 1997:344-345). In other words, it is totally unfair and
insulting for us to imagine that PWDs think that their lives are not worth
living. They are, as studies show, generally happy and would rather not feel
being pitied for their situation. Many of us cannot seem understand this
because we project our own definition of a happy life on them; but they are
different, and it is important for us to recognize and respect that. It does not
mean however, that we should treat them as lesser human beings. They
deserve respect just as much as any other human subject does. To recognize
this is to appreciate the meaning of intersubjectivity. The other subject is
different from me but deserves respect as much as I do.

Genuine understanding begins with the silence that is essential to

listening. We cannot really hear what the other is saying unless we hold our
tongue and tame our tendency to speak for them. Such a silence entails moral
humility. This humility is exercised through the admission that we do not
know the other person fully. With this admission we open ourselves to the
possibility that we will learn something different from them. Therefore,
understanding those who are different from us cannot happen by simply
imagining ourselves in their situation. We must listen to what they have to
say.

To many of us, the act of listening seems to be an easy matter. Genuine

listening, however, entails great effort. Here are some of the things we should
avoid saying if we want people to truly open up to us (Faber and Mazlish,
1980).

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
 Do not say that their feelings are invalid. There are no right or wrong
feelings. Let them express how they feel. They should not be judged for
emotions that they cannot help.

Do not give advice if they are not asking for any. What they need is a
friend who can be with them, not some expert who can look at them in a
detached way.

Do not philosophize about their situation as if you are above them and
you truly know what has happened.
Do not say “I know how you feel.” Sometimes this can really be offensive to
the other person because no one can really know how she feels unless you
become her.

Do not say, “If I were you…,” unless she asks you what you would do if
you were in her shoes. Without her consent, saying “If I were you…,” would
turn the conversation into something about you, and not the person who
needed listening too.

Explore

Activity 8: Application Time!

Directions: Answer the following questions substantially. Use another sheet
of paper.
1. Is it important for government leaders to visit their areas of
responsibility and to talk to their constituents? Some people argue
that all of these are trivial, empty ceremonies. Do these gestures really
make a difference? Explain your answer.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. Gossiping or talking behind a person’s back is a sign of cowardice.

Explain.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. Can text messaging, e-mail exchanges or chat rooms be a good
substitute to face-to-face encounters? Is there something in face-to-face
encounters that can never be captured by the chat rooms?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
 4. Is it possible to lie to your parents while looking at them straight in the
face? What do you think of people who are able to do that?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Rubrics
Description: This rubric will help you know exactly what I am expecting to
find in an essay.
Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs work
Category
(5) (4) (3) (2)
Writing is One idea The The ideas do
Ideas clear and may be not composition is not make
easy to be relevant somewhat sense.
understand confusing.
The The The The
composition composition composition composition
creates has clear needs details to does not
Organization interest, well- and make it have a clear
developed interesting interesting. beginning,
and beginning, middle, or
satisfying. middle, and end.
end.
The The The The
composition composition composition composition
has a lot of has some has a few has no
Word choice powerful and powerful and powerful and powerful
exciting exciting exciting words. and exciting
words to words. words.
enhance the
meaning.

17
LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
 Deepen

Activity 9: Appreciation
Direction: Answer the following question in a separate sheet of paper.

1. We sometimes hear the phrase “condemned without trial.” Does this

imply absence of authentic dialogue? Explain.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

2. In the past, we used the category “handicapped” or “disabled” to refer

to a person with physical or psychological disabilities. Recently, the
category has changed into persons with special needs. Do you think the
change of label helps change our perception and treatment of them?
Which among the labels enables one to be a neighbor or another? Which
one serves as a barrier?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

3. “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river
and he’s not the same man.” – Heraclitus. How does this quote relate to
the statement the other remains infinitely transcendent, infinitely
foreign?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
 Rubrics
Description: This rubric will help you know exactly what I am expecting to
find in an essay.

Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs work

Category
(5) (4) (3) (2)
Writing is One idea may The The ideas do
Ideas clear and be not be composition not make
easy to relevant is somewhat sense.
understand confusing.
The The The The
composition composition composition composition
creates has clear and needs details does not have
Organization interest, well- interesting to make it a clear
developed beginning, interesting. beginning,
and middle, and middle, or end.
satisfying. end.
The The The The
composition composition composition composition
has a lot of has some has a few has no
Word choice powerful and powerful and powerful and powerful and
exciting exciting exciting exciting words.
words to words. words.
enhance the
meaning.

19
LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
 Gauge

Direction: Select the keyword that best fits the statement in each item. Write
the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.
1. The equality in love is the equality of being, not of having. This
simply means that?
A. I do not become a slave to the other
B. In love, I do not surrender my liberty to the other
C. In love, the two freedoms become one and each becomes mere free
D. All the above

2. The human person is not just being-in-the-world but being-with-

others or being-in-relation. One great example of this is?
A. Bullying B. Hatred to your enemy
C. Children Exploitation D. Sincerity and concern to other

3. Which of the following is the best example of intersubjectivity?

A. Ben has always loved dogs. When his parents let him choose a family
pet, he picks a Labrador puppy from the shelter
B. When Anna was twelve, her sister told her that pickles are rotten
cucumbers. Because of this, Anna now orders all her burgers
without pickles
C. When Sarah was fifteen, she went exploring in a cave and became
trapped. And she is now afraid of closed spaces
D. Tony was born with vision in only one eye. Because of this, he
sometimes has difficulty perceived depth.

4. The following are the characteristics of the underprivileged, except?

A. Lack of Shelter B. Malnutrition and Poor Health
C. Uneducated D. Victims of Calamity

5. The following are perception about persons with disabilities (PWD)

EXCEPT.
A. PWD’s are less productive.
B. PWD’s could possibly engage into various social activities.
C. PWD’s can contribute to the economic growth of the society.
D. PWD are people with the same right as what other people does.

6. Which of the following statement is true?

A. Most people with disabilities cannot work
B. Human person can live on his own without the help of others
C. Everybody deserves to be treated as human being no matter what
he/she looks like
D. It is impossible to appreciate PWD’s and those from the
underprivileged sectors of the society

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
7. The human person is not just being in the world but being-with-
others, or being- in the world but being with the following EXCEPT
A. Acceptable B. Rejection
C. Respect D.Sincerity

8. No human being should become an end to him/herself. We are

responsible to our neighbor as we are to our own action, these simply
means that people used them.
A. Freedom of Choice B. Pleasure Pain Principle
C. Rational Animals D. Rational Thinkers

9. Which of the following is not an example of I thou relationship?

A. A little boy helping an old woman carrying her things.
B. A man who pays money in exchange of sexual gratification
C. The Philippine government support person with disabilities
D. A granddaughter taking care her grandmother who is physically ill.

10. A person experiencing an event can be called a/an___

A. Intersubjectivity B. Narrator
C. Object D. Subject

11. Which of the following physical disabilities you least likely want
to acquire?
A. Blindness B. Deafness
C. Paralyzed D. None of the above

12.Which of the following senses becomes powerful when you are

blind?
A. Auditory/Olfactory B. Cutaneous/ Visual
C. Gustatory/Auditory D. Extrasensory Perception (ESP)

13.Authentic dialogue also a means of ___________ other people.

A. Accepting the differences B. Complaining Dissimilarities
C. Neglecting the uniqueness D. Tolerating immorality

14.Which of the following signifies authentic dialogue towards

accepting other people even if they are different?
A. A boy sarcastically laughs at his friend after knowing about his
flaws.
B. Krishna cried on her knees after learning about the pressing
problems of the minorities in their community.
C. Angie walked past the poor old man in disgust.
D. The manager rejected the job application of a person with disability
even if he is qualified.
15.Which is TRUE among the following statements in terms of
conceptual meaning?
A. Conversation is like the meaning of authentic dialogue
B. Conversation is much more than a dialogue
C. Authentic dialogue is an element of “I-It” relationship
D. Authentic dialogue is much more than conversation

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
Answer Key

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LU_Introduction to Philosophy_ Module 6
References
Books

Abella, Roberto D. (2016). Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human

Person. Quezon City: C&E Publishing
Cornejo, N. & Ebia, E. Philosophy of Human Person. Mindshapers Co.,
Manila.2017
Mabacquiao, N. (2017). Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person.
Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing

Website
https://physicscatalyst.com/graduation/methods-of-acquiring-knowledge/
http://mrhoyestokwebsite.com/Knower/Useful%20Information/Three%20D
ifferent%20Theories%20of%20Truth.htm
http://atheism.about.com/b/2007/05/29/epistemology-correspondence-
theory-of-truth.htm
www.slideshare.net/mobile/jomarienelgarcia

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LU_Intro to the Philosophy of the Human Person Module 6
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Curriculum Implementation Division
Learning Resource Management Section
Flores St. Catbangen, San Fernando City La Union 2500
Telephone: (072) 607 - 8127
Telefax: (072) 205 - 0046
Email Address:
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LU_Intro to the Philosophy of the Human Person Module 6