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Module 3

This document provides an introduction to the philosophy of the human person from an intersubjective perspective. It discusses key concepts like: - Intersubjectivity, which recognizes that humans share experiences and meanings and have a shared identity with others, though we retain our individuality. - The Filipino concept of "kapwa," which represents the shared identity between self and others and moral obligation to treat others as equals. - How communication and social interaction shape humans and allow us to understand each other's perspectives and create shared meanings and identities. It emphasizes that understanding our shared humanity can promote better relationships and cooperation over individualism.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)

36 views

Module 3

Uploaded by

Michailla Delacruz

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

ALBERTO D. VILLARUEL, JR
MOST ENHANCE LEARNING COMPETENCIES

At the end of the Lesson, the student will be able to:

 Realize that intersubjectivity requires accepting differences and not imposing on
other
 Appreciate talents and uniqueness of all human being surrounding him/her
 Recognize how individuals form societies and how individuals are transformed by
societies
 Demonstrate the virtues and prudence and frugality of towards people and the
environment.

INTRODUCTION:

“Treat people the way you want to be treated, Talk to people the way you want to be
talked to, RESPECT IS EARNED NOT GIVEN”

In the previous module, we try to learn what morality is. We try to know what is right
from wrong. We try to differentiate our action be it moral or immoral. We try to
comprehend whether our action is the basis of our morality. Everything that we do always
reflect us. Whatever action we do there are always consequences. We must not forget
that everything is for a reason.

At this time of Pandemic, our actions will always be watch as to whether or not it is
right or wrong. Whatever the outcome will always reflect on us. We will examine ourselves
as to what instance we need to act upon or how we do it. But the realization will always
be at the end or after our actions.

INTERSUBJECTIVITY

Man is in constant search for truth. Man will always seek for what is real, valuable,
and worthwhile. This becomes possible through human experience. However the lack or
absence of understanding of what happened in the past renders human experience null
and void. It is only through self reflection that we abridge our past experiences to deep
understanding of why they happened and for what purpose. The key to achieve all of
these is self-examination. This demands deep thought and processing.

Intersubjectivity presupposes human being’s connectivity with other human beings.

It means that we share the same situations wherein we can create shared meanings.
These meanings becomes bases for our collective action and beliefs. Nonetheless, these
shared meanings do not eliminate our own individuality. Though shared meanings
becomes channels of collective actions, they do not demand uniformity of expressions of
these actions.

The core of Intersubjectivity is the human interaction as highly valued aspect of life.
We as human being do such interaction in our day to day activity. We observed it
everyday, giving rise to an identity commonly used and shared by Filipinos.

1|P age
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
ALBERTO D. VILLARUEL, JR
Kapwa is the shared identity between self and others. It is also means 'togetherness',
which is the core construct of Filipino Psychology. This Filipino linguistic unity of the self
and the other is unique and unlike in most modern languages. According to Virgilio
Enriquez, the founder of sikolohiyang Pilipino it implied in such inclusiveness is the moral
obligation to treat one another as equal fellow human beings. If we can do this – even
starting in our own family or our circle of friends – we are on the way to practice peace.
We are Kapwa People.” This sense of a shared identity is reflected in many Tagalog words,
words that carry with it sentiments and feelings that resonate at a subliminal level.

Pakikipagkapwa. It means connecting myself with others, feeling myself in the other
and having a sense of shared identity and a shared inner self. That sense of having a
common human identity, community and destiny lies deep in our psyche…It’s the
translation in our particular culture and history of a universal truth that tells us to treat others
the way we ourselves want to be treated because at our innermost core we have a
shared humanity.

This sense of a shared identity is reflected in many Tagalog words, words that carry
with it sentiments and feelings that resonate at a subliminal level.
Kababayan means my fellow-countryman; root word– bayan, country. When
Filipinos meet other fellow Filipinos, that instant recognition and connection spark up
because, we are, kababayan.
Kaakbay means to support. The root word “akbay” conjures images of lifting up,
shoulder on shoulder.
Kaibigan means friend; the root word is “ibig” which means to love.
Kasama means someone I am with, the root word “sama” means “to be with or be
together with.”
Kaanak means one’s kin; root word being “anak” which means sons and daughters.
Filipino media has capitalized on the deep registers these words have on the Filipino
psyche. One TV network is known as Kapuso, kapuso meaning being one at heart. Its rival
network is the Kapamilya Network, meaning belonging to the same family. Kapwa Ko,
Mahal Ko (Love my Fellowman) is a decades-long public service program that has been
providing assistance to the poor and the needy.

As a social beings, communication among human is a necessity. It does not only

transform the social context but also their perspective on existence and its meaning.
People is an intelligent human being, it communicates to other human being on how they
were brought up to life. Nevertheless, it is important that creating relationship with other
human being is efficient in helping us to get to know other human being. And so, by the
looks of it, we are to try getting to know other people.

2|P age
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
ALBERTO D. VILLARUEL, JR
According to Professor Enriquez, Kapwa is the “unity of the one-of-us-and-the-
other”. After extensively researching the cultural heritage of indigenous Filipino groups and
tribes and their IKSP (Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices), he concluded that
Pakikipag-kapwa is a core Filipino value underlying the Pagkatao ng Filipino (the
Personhood of the Filipino). He maintained that “Kapwa implied moral and normative
aspects that obliged a person to treat one another as fellow human being and therefore
as equal.” Such a position was “definitely inconsistent with exploitative human
interactions,”. But he also foresaw that this Filipino core value was threatened by
spreading Western influences. “…once AKO (the I) starts thinking of himself as separate
from KAPWA, the Filipino ‘self’ gets to be individuated as in the Western sense and, in
effect, denies the status of KAPWA to the other.”

Today, most people who hear the word “kapwa” think it means neighbor. But
standard Tagalog dictionaries like Vito Santos’ define kapwa as “fellow being” and “other
person.” And older, Spanish dictionaries translate kapuwa as “both” and “the one and
the other”, or “others.” From all this research, Enriquez concluded that the original Filipino
idea of “others” was inclusive. He wrote: “The English “others” is actually used in opposition
to the “self,” and implies the recognition of the self as a separate entity. In contrast, kapwa
is a recognition of a shared identity, an inner self shared with others.” He also said, “A
person starts having a kapwa not so much because of a recognition of status given him
by others but more so because of his awareness of shared identity. The ako (ego) and the
iba-sa-akin (others) are one and the same in kapwa psychology.”

Pakikipagkapwa, seeing ourselves as connected with others, leads us to better

relations within our families, with schoolmates or fellow workers. It leads towards concern
for our community, our country and for our environment, both social and natural. More
importantly, it leads us towards putting the human being’s needs as the highest value,
over and above other values be it Money, Power, Prestige, the State, Ideas and yes, even
Religion.

The times we are living in are calling for us to awaken and rekindle that
pakikipagkapwa that have been suppressed under centuries of colonial influence, a call
to hark back towards our ancestral way of being in the world— one that is imbued with a
deep sense of community, cooperation and solidarity.

THOUGHTS TO PONDER:

3|P age
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
ALBERTO D. VILLARUEL, JR

HUMAN BEING AS A SOCIAL BEING

A human being creates his/her own world to establish relationship with other created things.
He/she has to establish relationship with the environment for him/her to survive as part of it.
Detached from the environment, he/she cannot survive. It is inherent environment he/she cannot
survive.

Open communication or vocative situation or dialogue among human being is an

encounter of unique persons in a concrete context or situation in the community. According to
Paolo Freire, “those who share such communications have the power to name their world and
experiences as result of communicative encounter among human beings”. Paolo Freire is a
famous for his pedagogy of the Oppressed, a radical theory of education that encourages to
question things that prevents people and society to gain the quality of life they want.

HUMAN BEING IS BORN AND CREATES HIMSELF/HERSELF IN SOCIAL INTERACTION

The existence of human being is the consequence of social interaction particularly

between two unique individuals. They together strengthen this interaction through constant
communications. Such communicative interaction becomes a matrix in which each person
participates, adopts and absorbs the values, system, belief and world-view that pervade and
harmonize among the individuals in the social interaction.

In such communicative situation or dialogue in the family, every member projects the
perennial values, belief and the world view of the family. Each person carries the whole being and
collective consciousness of the family. Such output is because of the incidence where the whole
family simultaneously creates same action due to they have the same values, belief and world
view. In lieu, whatever a member of a family does, other follows or do the same.

According to Prof. Enriquez philosophy in interacting with other human being is actually
divided into two (2) categories in their level. These are divided into IBANG-TAO and KAPWA-TAO.
Both of the two is levelled based on how you interact on the two categories.

IBANG TAO REALITY FRAME KAPWA-TAO REALITY FRAME

1. Pakikitungo – level of amenities 1. Pakikipagpalagayang-loob- mutual
2. Pakikisalamuha – Level of mixing trust
3. Pakikilahok – level of Joining 2. Pakikisangkot – getting involved
4. Pakikibagay – level of confrorming 3. Pakikiisa- oneness and full of trust
5. Pakikisama – level of adjusting

These categories will always vary on how you interact with other human being. But this
categories are actually based on how your values, belief and world view, affect your decision
making. This factors will always be there whenever you interact with other people. They are
conceptually interrelated and in a hierarchy wherein Pakikitungo is the beginning and Pakikiisa is
the end.

THOUGHTS TO PONDER:

“Age will come to you, what the aged are right now, will be YOU in the future”

1. Will be helping the old guy? Are you willing to wait for an old man to cross the street?

4|P age
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
ALBERTO D. VILLARUEL, JR

8 DAYS ACTIVITY CHALLENGE

INSTRUCTION: You are tasked to write down any activity or undertaking reflecting the
Eight (8) levels of Interacting to KAPWA-TAO or to IBANG TAO. You write down the level
of interacting, Write down the answer below.