Intersubjectivity. Introduction to the Philosophy

Intersubjectivity

1. PREPARED BY BRACA, ANTHONY DUCAY Philosophy AN INTRODUCTION

2. Humans have the natural tendency to relate, establish attachments and seek close relationship with other people (Abella, 2016). He further said that it is in this human nature that people are driven to reach out to other people and interact with them in a meaningful way. Thus, it is an aspect of being a man is his relatedness with others. One manifestation of this relation with others is accepting others and their differences, (Garcia, et. al. 2016). The Meaning and Dynamics of Inter-subjectivity

3. The interaction between the self and the other is related to the philosophical concept of intersubjectivity (Abella, 2016). He further explained that there is the element of a mutual recognition of each other as a person. WHAT IS INTERSUBJECTIVITY?

4. And that, what is unique in intersubjectivity is the relationship between two or more distinct subjects. As what he said, it is the characteristic of a human person to engage in a very intimate and personal relationship with others who are different form him or her but also like him or her WHAT IS INTERSUBJECTIVITY?

5. THE DYNAMICS OF INTERSUBJECTIVITY According to Abella, 2016, most human interactions are not based on deception. He further explained that our human nature drives us to uphold dignity and goodness and our interactions with others are geared toward what is good and beneficial. Finally, he said that these lead human to strive and achieve deeper and more substantial interactions and relations with other people

6. According to Mel Garcia, et.al. 2016, the following are given dynamics of intersubjectivity:

7. ACCEPTING “ME” IS ACCEPTING “YOU.” According to him, acceptance means understanding that there are aspects of your life that you can and cannot change. In other words, some things you have control over and some you don’t. Accepting yourself means realizing that you are a unique human being

8. He said that the importance of accepting other’s thoughts and ideas (though they might be opposed to yours) is another manifestation of accepting others (and their differences). ACCEPTING OTHERS IS NOT TO IMPOSE ON THEM.

9. And finally, according to him, the theme of accepting others (their differences) is further developed by connecting it with the act of loving. Beyond the element of giving, the active character of love becomes evident in the fact that it always implies certain basic elements, common to all forms of love. These are care, responsibility, respect, and knowledge ACCEPTING OTHER FOR WHAT THEY ARE IS LOVING THEM.

10. 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 woid saying if we want people to truly open up to us (Faber and Mazlish , 1980): 1. 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. 2. 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.

11. 3. Do not philosophize about their situation as if you are above them and you truly know what has happened. (ex. Saying to a friend whose mother died, " That is God's will.") 4. 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 . 5. 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 to.

12. 1. We sometimes hear the phrase "condemned without trial." Does this imply absence of authentic dialogue? 2. In the past, we used the category "handicapped" or " disabled" to refer to persons with physical or psychological disabilities. Recently, the category has changed into persons with disability. 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 to another? Which one serves as a barrier?

13. 3. History is replete with tragic events that came about because of so much prejudice, ethnocentrism, labeling, stereotyping. Research on at least 3 examples in world history and at present.

14. 4 "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’? 5. It is the people closest to you that you take for granted most often. Has this something to do with the "assumption of sameness"? Does the feeling of familiarity prevent a genuine encounter with the other? How?

15. THANK YOU!