Intersubjectivity — ADM Module Notes (Summary)

Overview

• Senior High School, Department of Education (DepED) module: Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person, Alternate Delivery Mode (ADM).
• Quarter 2 – Module 2: Intersubjectivity.
• Module aims to help learners meet K-12 standards while considering personal, social, and economic constraints; develop guided and independent learning at own pace; cultivate 21st-century skills; promote self-management of learning.
• The hand is used symbolically to represent learner empowerment and capability to learn, create, and accomplish at one's own pace.
• Structure visualized by icons describing each section (What I Need to Know, What I Know, What’s In, What’s New, What is It, What’s More, What I Have Learned, What I Can Do, Assessment, Answer Key, References).
• Copyright and publication notes: Government property; no subsistence of copyright for government works per Republic Act 8293, section 176; borrowed materials acknowledged; contributors listed; not-for-sale; contact info for DepEd region CALABARZON.
• Publisher and Development Team: DepEd – Region IV-A CALABARZON; design and development to align with curriculum standards.
• Basic arithmetic examples included at the top of the module header as a symbolic illustration: $1+1=2$, $2+2=4$, $4+4=8$, $8+8=16$ (the transcript shows only '8+8' in that line).

What I Need to Know

• Definition and scope: Intersubjectivity is the sharing of subjective states among two or more individuals; it is the organic union of subjective reality and objective reality.
• Learning goals:
  • 1) define intersubjectivity;
  • 2) identify similarities and differences in the intersubjective concepts of Confucius, Martin Buber, and Karol Wojtyla;
  • 3) explore personal intersubjective experiences;
  • 4) enhance relations with people from all walks of life, with emphasis on the underprivileged and people with disability.
• Reference framing provided in the module to guide inquiry and discussion.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan (What I Know section)

• Bible passage: Luke 10:25-37 (New International Version).
• Summary of the story:
  • An expert in the law asks Jesus how to inherit eternal life; Jesus asks what is written in the Law.
  • The Law commands: Love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.
  • A man is attacked on the road; a priest and a Levite pass by; a Samaritan stops, tends his wounds with oil and wine, places him on his own donkey, takes him to an inn, and pays for care (two denarii) with a promise to reimburse any extra expenses.
  • Question posed: Which of the three was a neighbor to the man who fell to robbers?
  • Answer: The one who showed mercy; Jesus commands, “Go and do likewise.”
• Purpose in the module: introduce the concept of neighborly care as an example of intersubjective action beyond social divides.

What Philosophers Say About Intersubjectivity (What is It)

• Core idea: Intersubjectivity is universal; it exists wherever humans exist and is a reality scholars discuss.
• Confucius (551–479 BCE)
  • Key concept: Ren (human-heartedness) as central to sociality and intersubjectivity.
  • Emphasis on order and harmony; practical, concrete, perceptual, and social actions to achieve harmony; humanism centered on action toward others rather than mere contemplation.
• Martin Buber (1878–1965)
  • Introduced I-Thou and I-It relationships.
  • Intersubjectivity requires treating others as subjects (beings with mind and will) rather than as objects.
  • The highest form of relationship is person-to-person, a dialogue where self-recognizes itself in the other; emphasis on mutual respect, sincerity, dialogue, and recognition of the other as a subject.
• Karol Wojtyla (1920–2005; John Paul II)
  • Human action is foundational to being; human reality involves being with others.
  • Concept of Participation: capacity to share oneself with others; individuals exist in communities of persons (I-You or We).
  • Meaning arises from experiences with others; being part of a community that gives and creates meaning together.

What’s In; What’s New; What is It (Contextualizing Intersubjectivity)

• What’s In: A brief drill linking the current lesson to previous knowledge; overview of the three-philosopher framework; the Bible parable as grounding example; intervention prompts for reflecting on one’s own experiences with others.
• What’s New:
  • Intersubjectivity in general philosophy moves beyond theology and uses religious texts sparingly as illustrative rather than foundational.
  • The Good Samaritan parable is used to illustrate intersubjectivity in the human world.
  • Definitions: intersubjectivity = sharing of subjective states among two or more individuals; Scheff (2006) cited.
  • It is described as the organic union of subjective reality and objective reality; we place ourselves in others’ shoes to relate positively.
  • Illustration via a comic strip (link provided in the module) showing intersubjective empathy or related dynamics.

What is It — Philosophers’ Statements (Detailed)

• Confucius: Ren as a core virtue; emphasizes sociality, order, and harmony; practical humanism; advocates loving others through actions, not only thoughts.
• Martin Buber: I-Thou and I-It relations; treat others as subjects; mutual recognition and authentic dialogue; self-recognition through the other; “subject-to-subject” relation.
• Karol Wojtyla: Action as foundation of being; participation; sharing oneself with others; community as network of I-You/We relations; meaning arises from communal engagement.

What’s More (DIFFERENTIATION Activity)

• Task: State the distinct ideas of the three philosophers in separate columns; also identify any shared ideas.
  • Confucius | Martin Buber | Karol Wojtyla
  • Distinct Ideas: (list in each column)
  • Shared ideas: common themes across all three
• Purpose: Clarify how each thinker uniquely frames intersubjectivity while highlighting overlaps.

What I Have Learned (Reflective Exercises)

• Personal reflection prompts to connect theory to life:
  • 1) Instances where you felt treated as an object; describe experiences, feelings, and whether you would treat others similarly.
  • 2) Instances where you felt treated as a subject; describe how it felt and whether it is lawful to treat others that way.
  • 3) Reasons why people treat others as objects.
  • 4) What you think when you treat others as subjects.
  • 5) Whether prioritizing intersubjective relationships could lead to a better world than prioritizing economic progress; provide a defense.
• Each response should be 3–5 sentences.

What I Can Do (Applying Intersubjectivity to Society)

• Address societal problems through an intersubjective lens; provide 3–5 sentence responses for each statement:
  1) People mock persons with disabilities instead of showing mercy.
  2) Blaming women for rape due to clothing choices.
  3) The belief that poverty is due to mentality.
  4) Indigenous cultures being mocked by others.
  5) Perceiving psychological problems as excuses for weakness.
• Provide concrete, intersubjectivity-based solutions for each scenario.

Assessment (Multiple Choice)

• 5 questions to test understanding of intersubjectivity concepts:
  1. Which best describes intersubjectivity?
     a. About how humans treat plants.
     b. A state of sharing of subjective states by two or more individuals.
     c. About how we judge other persons.
     d. We treat others as objects in intersubjective relationships.
  2. Which statement is incorrect about intersubjectivity?
     a. Love is important in intersubjective relationships.
     b. We can put ourselves in the shoes of others.
     c. I can disregard others as much as I want.
     d. We cannot help but be sensitive to the existence of the other.
  3. Who among the discussed philosophers focuses on human-heartedness in intersubjectivity?
     a. Karol Wojtyla
     b. Martin Buber
     c. Confucius
     d. Martin Heidegger
  4. Which philosopher introduced the “I-Thou” and “I-It” relationships?
     a. Karol Wojtyla
     b. Martin Buber
     c. Confucius
     d. Martin Heidegger
  5. What is the main focus of Karol Wojtyla’s intersubjectivity?
     a. Intellect
     b. Feelings
     c. Participation
     d. Contribution

Additional Activities: Song Analysis

• Task: Identify a Filipino song about intersubjectivity; present lyrics and analyze how intersubjectivity is depicted; discuss implications for personal relationships.
• Include: Song title, lyrics, and a short analysis of how the song reflects I-You or related intersubjective dynamics.

Rubrics for the Activity (Assessment Criteria)

• Performance Areas: Outstanding, Very Satisfactory, Satisfactory, Needs Improvement.
• Categories covered: Ideas, Organization, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, Presentation.
• Each category has defined descriptors for four levels (4, 3, 2, 1) outlining clarity, structure, readability, and accuracy.

References (Selected Sources in the Module)

• Books and authors cited: Agoncillo (2012); Artigas (2006); Copus et al. (2016); Dy Jr. (2001); Heidegger (1996); Confucius (various translations); Buber (Between Man and Man, 1966); Wojtyla (Participation theory, John Paul II); Maboloc (2016); Ramos (2016); and others listed in the module.
• Journals and online sources: Philosophy of human person sources, environmental ethics sources, and online notes and bibliographies as listed in the References section of the module.
• A collection of online sources related to environmental ethics, phenomenology, and intersubjectivity including Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entries and other academic resources.

Quick Reference: Key Concepts and Symbols

• Intersubjectivity: $ext{Sharing of subjective states among two or more individuals}$; relation between personal and shared reality.
• Ren (Confucius): human-heartedness; social harmony through action.
• I-Thou (Buber): mutual, authentic relationship with another subject; rejection of treating the other as an object.
• Participation (Wojtyla): individuals meaningfully share themselves within a community of persons; we exist together as I-You/We.
• Biblical grounding (Good Samaritan): mercy as practical demonstration of neighborly love and intersubjective care.
• Ethical implications: treating others as subjects, overcoming prejudice and social barriers, and promoting inclusive, compassionate action.

Connections to Broader Themes

• Links to ethical theory, social philosophy, and human rights through the lens of intersubjectivity.
• Practical relevance: everyday interactions, education, disability inclusion, gender and cultural sensitivity, and community-building.
• Philosophical debate: balance between universal human-relatedness and respecting differences among persons.
• Real-world relevance: how intersubjective practices can contribute to just and compassionate societies beyond pure economic metrics.

Notes on Structure and Use

• This module is designed as a guided pathway with built-in checks (What I Know, What’s In, What’s New) and reflective activities (What I Have Learned, What I Can Do).
• Learners are encouraged to connect theories to personal experiences, propose solutions to social issues, and engage with cultural-religious texts as illustrative tools rather than sole authorities on intersubjectivity.
• The module includes an Answer Key and References for further study.