Explore!

As evidenced by social media, people’s actions are more reflected in public nowadays. Every time you
log-in to your account, it will not be a surprise to see posts about the wrongdoings of people in various
environments.

You may have seen videos of students bullying a classmate, adults being unprofessionally mean to their
workmates, or parents abusing their children. In these situations, the people doing unacceptable acts
were judged and criticized by netizens. Some have even become so popular that they cannot go out in
public because they can easily be recognized and mobbed. It is clear that people experiencing these
situations have not made the right choices regarding their actions.

In your perspective, how could have these people handled the situations better?

Try it!

Create a list of opportunities that you currently have. Make an organized table that will allow you to plot
your options and weigh each one’s pros and cons in your life. Using your learnings in this lesson, critically
analyze each opportunity you may have, and then decide which choice is best for you. Make sure to
exercise prudence in making your decision.

What do you think?

Can your freedom of choice, at some point or instance in your life, be legally removed from you? Why?
Why not?

Tips

Apart from the freedom to choose, it is also relevant to know that freedom does not stop at making a
choice. There are also several areas where freedom may be exercised (e.g. free speech or freedom of
information).

Religious and cultural practices may limit one's freedom of choice. Even though a person is given the
right by the state to choose for himself, he may not be able to do so because of the religion or culture
that he belongs to (e.g. arranged marriage).
Keypoints

Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.

The ability to exercise one’s freedom in any manner is called freedom of choice.

The freedom to choose stops when there is risk or harm that may be inflicted on the self or other
people.

Prudence is an act of making a good judgment that allows a person to avoid risks.

All forms of action are brought about by a person’s decision to accomplish them.

Religious and cultural practices may limit one’s freedom of choice.

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

define and explain the meaning and the process of intersubjectivity,

discuss the application and importance of intersubjectivity to society,

prove that authentic dialogue means accepting others even if they are different from you, and

demonstrate an appreciation for the talents of persons with disabilities and those from the
underprivileged sectors of society.
Whenever an unfortunate event occurs, you feel sad or anxious, but how do you assure yourself that
those feelings are real?

Find out the answer in this lesson!

Learn about it!

In looking at the example, it is easy to say that interacting with others can confirm the validity of
emotions a person may have towards the environment. In this interaction, intersubjectivity takes place.

The Meaning and Process of Intersubjectivity

Each person has a subjective experience of the world. However, because of this subjective experience,
one cannot know which events occur in reality or which are products of self-perception.

Social interactions among individuals through comparison, agreement, and confirmation of each others'
perceptions make it easier to determine real events occurring in society. This concept is called
intersubjectivity−the shared perception of reality between or among two or more individuals.

A main principle of intersubjectivity is communarization, a social process wherein the community of

other people are seen as embedded within the self. This process initially occurs with the idea that other
individuals are extensions of the self and serve as the “alter-ego” of a person’s being. The self and others
are therefore seen as a pair that shares each other’s lived experiences. This is much like the concept of
empathy or “being in the shoes” of others.

The Application of Intersubjectivity to Society

Because intersubjectivity looks at others as embedded within the self, it is safe to say that this concept
also promotes a view that all people are equal. This would imply that people from other sectors of
society, such as those who have physical disabilities or socioeconomic challenges, are seen as individuals
with the same potential and talents as anybody else.

Because intersubjectivity is unbiased, everyone has the power to understand relationships and
interactions occurring within society with little regard to social or physical deficiencies. In effect, people
who are marginalized may still be seen as significant contributors to society through their talents, skills,
and capabilities.

Below are some authentic examples of disadvantaged individuals who have significantly contributed to
society:

Stephen Hawking is a physicist and cosmologist who, despite his rare medical condition called
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), made significant contributions to contemporary studies of relativity
and quantum physics.

As a child, Oprah Winfrey experienced living in a poor household and was sexually abused. Despite this,
she motivated herself to succeed and did so by being one of the richest women alive today.

The Use of Authentic Dialogue

Authentic dialogue is a form of interpersonal communication wherein individuals acknowledge that they
are part of a greater whole and that they resonate with others within the whole. This occurs when
individuals learn to set aside their personal biases and begin seeing themselves in others through
communarization. In this sense, other people, including the marginalized sector, are seen as functional
parts of a whole. No biases or preferences are exemplified during the dialogue because an individual has
learned to perceive and communicate with others with a sense of community and oneness.

Examples:

accepting your classmates’ opinion on government services because his experience with transacting with
government employees is different from yours

overlooking the fact that your boss yelled at you since you understand that he only did so out of concern
over an urgent matter

The Importance of Intersubjectivity

Intersubjectivity has significant contributions to society and relationships, including the following:
It validates real and authentic subjective experiences.

It facilitates interaction among individuals.

It enables individuals to look at others equally, regardless of any physical or socio-demographic factor.

It promotes a sense of community and unity among individuals.

It emphasizes that anyone can contribute to society.

Explore!

Many people all over the world have attested to the idea that spiritual entities, such as the ghost of a
departed loved one, are just lurking the earth with living human beings. Some people, however, are
hesitant to believe this phenomenon because there is still not enough proof that the supernatural exists.

In your perception, can the concept of intersubjectivity be used to confirm the validity of this
phenomenon?

Try it!

Look around you and list down your observations. Have a friend do the same thing on the same
environment. Compare your observations once both of you are finished. Identify common observations
you had and discuss any dissimilar remarks you have each made.

What do you think?

Are intersubjective concepts always considered real occurrences? Why? Why not?
Tips

Intersubjectivity is not a process, but rather a concept. The process incorporated within the concept is
communarization.

Authentic dialogue is a technique that requires, at least, two people in a conversation with each other.
This is a variety of a simple dialogue.

Keypoints

Intersubjectivity is a concept where social interactions among individuals through comparison,

agreement, and confirmation of each other's perceptions make it easier to determine real events
occurring in society.

Communarization is a social process wherein the community of other people are seen as embedded
within the self.

An authentic dialogue is a form of interpersonal communication wherein individuals acknowledge that

they are part of a greater whole and that they resonate with others within the whole.

Intersubjectivity is important because it validates authentic subjective experiences, facilitates

interactions, and promotes a sense of unity and community among individuals.

Learn about it!

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

recognize how individuals form societies and how societies transform individuals,

explain how social systems transform human relations, and

evaluate how social systems change human relationships and how societies process individual people.
You have spent your whole life living in the Philippines. However, your parents told you that you will be
migrating to the United Kingdom next year and that you will be staying there for good.

Do you think that you will change as a person once you live somewhere else?

What can influence you to change your beliefs and attitudes?

Find out the answers in this lesson!

Learn about it!

People and society have a reciprocal and complementary relationship. People’s personalities and culture
depend upon the processes and events occurring in society. Similarly, society takes its changes from how
people act, perceive, and shape it.

Living in another community, as shown by the previous example, constitutes an entirely different social
environment that may be different from one's beliefs and culture. Immersing oneself in a new society,
therefore, exhibits a change in both the community and the person.

Social Influence and Transformation

Individuals are the building blocks of society. They take on various social roles to ensure the smooth flow
of social processes that regularly occur within the community. However, it is the collective action of
individuals that mainly influence how society is formed and structured.

Example:

If many people of one community perceive catcalling as offensive and derogatory, then society will have
an unwritten norm that such an act is unacceptable. With the repetition of this process, a community
can form and develop its culture and character.

Social Influence and Transformation

Reciprocally, society also transforms individuals into social and cultural beings. As a part of society,
individuals experience enculturation or the process by which people acquire the knowledge, skills,
attitudes, and culture embedded in society. These social and cultural qualities vary across cultures since
they are also created and influenced by human action. As such, you may notice that different
communities have unique cultures, traditions, and norms.

Examples:

The openness of Thai people to gender differences has made their country diverse in terms of social
partnerships and preferences.

In the Philippines, making slurping sounds while eating noodles is a sign of disrespect. However, in Japan,
doing the same act is a positive way of expressing satisfaction with the food.

Social Systems and Their Influence on Human Relations

A social system is the structure of society consisting of individuals who interact and relate in a shared
cultural and symbolic environment. As such, individuals serve as the backbone of the larger social system
and are moderated and formed by social institutions such as the family, education, religion, economy,
and government.

In this sense, each person belonging to a society plays a social role that is at par with social norms and
institutions. An individual's role may encompass any single organization at once that he is altogether a
student, son, layperson, and playmate. It is with these roles that appropriate human behavior and
relationships are defined and acted out in society. The social system, therefore, dictates through norms
and institutions how an individual can relate and interact with others.

In your perspective, how would the following events influence human relations?

The mode of governance shifted from democracy to dictatorship.

Only a single religion was legally allowed to be practiced in the country.

The Importance of Human Relations in Society

Human relations make up patterned interactive relationships which are the most powerful unit of the
social system. Participation in these interactions establishes an individual's social role and status in
forming the collective, intricate characteristics of society. Without human relations, institutions and the
system itself would cease to exist.

Explore!

The Philippines takes its unique social characteristics from three colonial influences that vastly shaped
local society and culture. Even until today, evidences of Spanish, American, and Japanese colonialism
flourish in every day Filipino living. For instance, many Filipino surnames were derived from Spanish
origins. Filipinos are also relatively good English speakers in comparison with other Southeast Asian
nationalities. What other influences have our past left us? How do these forces shape our culture and
society?

Try it!

With a friend, write down characteristics that make each of you a social and human person. You may
include your perceived roles in society as well as the social institutions you belong to. From these,
identify your contributions to society and how society affects you. Compare your results and try to come
up with a common pattern or theme with what both of you shared. In this way, you will further
understand how an individual influences society and vice versa through social interactions.

What do you think?

What will happen to society when its social structure becomes damaged or faulty? What circumstances
may cause this event to occur?

Tips

It is important to understand that the process of enculturation is different from acculturation. While the
first deals with acquiring one's culture, beliefs, and norms, the latter focuses on obtaining the same
constructs from another society.
Social constructs, belief systems, interactions, culture, and structure vary across countries. This is the
reason why countries are different from each other despite some similar cultural traditions and beliefs.

Keypoints

Individuals are the building blocks of society. They take on various social roles to ensure the smooth flow
of social processes that regularly occur within the community.

Enculturation is the process by which people acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and culture
embedded in their society.

A social system is the structure of society consisting of individuals who interact and relate in a shared
cultural and symbolic environment.

Social institutions include religion, education, government, economy, and family.

Human relations make up patterned interactive relationships which are the most important unit of the
social system.

Philosophy of the Human Person, Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

Different Forms of Societies and Individuals

Lesson6 chapters

Questions

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

compare different types or forms of societies and individuals, and

discuss the interaction between individuals and societies in the social system.

In the Philippines, life in the province is certainly different from life in the city. While structures,
technology, and transportation continue to boom in the cities, provinces remain to be less industrialized,
but rich in local produce and resources. As such, individuals who grew up in cities develop as persons
differently from those born in the provinces.

How do these differing societies influence individuals?

Find out the answer in this lesson!

Learn about it!

Socioeconomic, technological, and environmental differences in societies may dictate cultural differences
among individuals. Because different types of societies exist, it is also expected that there are various
societal differences among individuals as well.

Individuals and Societal Transformations

Individuals are social animals who need society for food, protection, education, and other forms of
support. Meanwhile, a society is a collection of individuals shaped by social relations and interactions. As
such, individuals and society need each other to function properly. They have a complementary
relationship that is improved and influenced by culture and social institutions. In effect, societies and
individuals all around the world develop varying cultures and practices.

Examples:

Many Filipino children still live with their parents even during adulthood.

Paris is known as the center of fashion due to numerous designers that focused their works in the city.
Types of Societies and Individuals

In learning about types of societies, it is important to know that classifications were made by
socioeconomic conditions and availability of resources. Nevertheless, these classifications describe all
currently existing models of societies.

Types of Societies

Agrarian (Agricultural)

It focuses on the production of crops and raising of farm animals.

Women share the same type and mode of labor.

It utilizes technological advances to cultivate crops.

Industrial (Modern Industrial)

It introduced fuel-driven machinery in goods production.

Factories are seen as the center of work.

Transportation is more developed and advanced than agricultural societies.

Virtual (Post-Industrial)

Professional services are offered in exchange for money.

Technology is used in every aspect of life and work

It focuses on the production and selling of information.

Apart from these, some more types of societies include pastoral, hunting and gathering, and feudal.
However, these models no longer exist at present.

Types of Individuals in Society

The types of individuals in a society are dictated by socioeconomic conditions and capability. Each
individual belongs to a certain social class or group of people with similar levels of wealth and status.

Lower Class

experiences poverty, homelessness, and unemployment

relatively higher in number in developing countries

Working Class

constitutes blue-collared workers (e.g. waiter, driver, salesperson)

experiences low career opportunities and minimal wage

Middle Class

consists of white-collared workers (e.g. doctor, lawyer, engineer)

able to survive life with relatively minimal material difficulties

typically provides professional services as sources of income

Upper Class

consists of individuals born into aristocratic families

usually involves families with large businesses and ventures

Different Individuals and Societies in the Social System

The social system denotes the whole society that is comprised of individuals and institutions interacting
within the same structure. Despite differences in classifications, all types of individuals and social models
co-exist and interact within the social system. Different combinations between individuals and societal
models may occur within the system. As such, culture is developed through simultaneous societal
interactions.

Examples:

Individuals from the upper class may primarily live in agricultural settings due to the nature of their
family business (e.g. haciendero).

Provinces near the Metro have an industrialized society and is primarily composed of middle class
workers.

Explore!

As society continuously rebuilt itself, vast changes occurred within the last 10 years. The Philippines used
to be an industrialized society, but with the sudden availability of resources and opportunities, it was
able to shift to a post-industrial social model. Alongside this, many middle class workers emerged since
new professional positions were developed. Looking at these advancements, what societal changes do
you think will occur within the next ten years?
Try it!

Assess yourself and your society. In a sheet of paper, list down the socioeconomic characteristics of your
family, including the work of your parents, siblings, or extended family members who live with you. Next,
briefly list down the characteristics of your current environment and living conditions. Using your
learning from this lesson, try to determine which social class you and your family belong to, as well as
the type of society you live in.

What do you think?

Is it possible for a nation not to have all types of societies and individuals within the social system? Why?
Why not?

Tips

Individuals from different social classes may interact with one another; however, interaction does not
change a person’s social class. An individual’s social group changes only when his socioeconomic
capabilities change.

All individuals may fall under only one social class at any single point in time. Meanwhile, people may
encounter and live in different types of societies at the same time (e.g. having two houses in different
parts of the country).

All types of societies and individuals fall under a social system. It is important to remember that a social
system goes beyond the individual and society. It also includes culture, institutions, and the interaction
among these factors.

Keypoints

Individuals are social animals who need society for food, protection, education, and other forms of
support.

Society is a collection of individuals shaped by social relations and interactions.

The types of societies evident at present are agrarian, industrial, and virtual. Meanwhile, societies such
as pastoral, hunting and gathering, and feudal are not existing anymore.

Individuals fall under any one of the four social classes, namely: lower, working, middle, and upper.

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

explain the origin, meaning, and purpose of life,

enumerate the goals a person wants to achieve,

define the projects an individual intends to do in life, and

reflect on the meaning and purpose of his or her life.

How would you feel when a person close to you suddenly passed away?

What would you think about your own mortality during that time?

Find out the answers in this lesson!

Learn about it!

Life is short and unpredictable. For many people, there is a purpose in living, and gradually going through
life allows one discover his real purpose. Still, many people are unable to understand their lives and to
make meaning out of it.
The Origin of Life

Evolutionists believe that everything in the cosmos, including life, can be explained by the interaction of
matter. They initially believed in spontaneous generation−that living things can arise from non-living
materials; for example, worms, flies, or even mice could develop from grain, meat, or other materials. At
present, scientists were already able to develop more complex, valid, and organized theories on the
origin of life.

Creationists, on the other hand, believe that life came from a supreme being or a god. They use
scriptures, rather than scientific evidences, as proof of their belief. An example of this would be the story
of creation in the Bible.

The Significance and Meaning of Life

Some people nowadays often believe that life has no meaning or significance because it is either (1)
brought about by a god, or (2) developed by modern science. In both scenarios, life would be certainly
meaningless if the person does not believe in a god or modern science.

However, many theorists go against this belief by saying that life has meaning. Based on the theoretical
concept of meaning, theorists and philosophers specified that life must be embedded in communication,
understanding, and service. As such, the meaning of life becomes centralized in doing acts of integration,
selflessness, and love.

The meaning of life is incredibly significant because it is believed to balance the good-evil relationship
within the self. It is established as a collective defense against psychological problems like aggression and
divisiveness. People who have found meaning in their lives therefore seem happier, more approachable,
and more understanding than those who have not.

The Accomplishment of Personal Goals

Discovering the meaning of life constitutes people to live life to the fullest. As such, they engage in
various activities as much as possible, and they immerse themselves with what life has to offer. Research
reveals that one out of five people are convinced that they are living their lives to the fullest and that
majority of all individuals who want to live life to its fullest are longing for excitement. These activities
may be reflected in a bucket list, a list of all goals, dreams, and achievements that one wants to attain
before death.
Below are some examples of adventurous ideas that may be found in a bucket list:

Travel all around the world.

Build a charitable institution.

Strengthen spiritual life.

Obtain an undergraduate diploma.

The Endpoint of Life

Physical life is given an origin, meaning, and purpose because it has an end. Physical death is a state that
all humans will encounter at the end. Many people are afraid of dying because it is the final, irreversible
state of reality that leads to another path or journey. Since people desire consciousness, memory,
personhood, and love to be experienced consciously, the unconscious state of death becomes a fearful
fate.

What concerns people more about life is that death may come unexpectedly. Some people die young.
Because of this, people tend to choose to achieve their goals as soon as possible to ensure that they do
not miss out on life before death.

Do you know the meaning and purpose of your life?

Explore!

The quality of life may play a significant role in the life experiences of people. It is said that those who
have poorer quality of lives may be expected to die relatively younger than those who can live life
satisfactorily. Despite differences in the condition of life, all people are capable of creating goals for their
lives. In your perspective, how are individuals with poorer quality of lives able to transcend their
condition and reach their career goals?

Try it!

Make a bucket list of all the goals and dreams you want to attain for your whole life. You may want to
divide your goals in terms of years before you achieve them (e.g. "These are my goals for the next five
years"). Upon making them, try to fulfill as much as you can throughout your life. Be sure to make goals
that are reachable and safe for you.

What do you think?

Is the concept of “cheating death” possible? How?

Tips

Although many people desire for adventure in living life, bucket lists may involve any activity that may
not necessarily invoke adventure.

The ability to find meaning in life is not limited to people who have a high quality of life. All persons,
regardless of sociodemographic and personal factors, are capable of discovering the meaning of life on
their own.

Keypoints

Evolutionists believe that everything in the cosmos, including life, can be explained in terms of the
interaction of matter.

Creationists believe that life was brought about by a supreme being or a god.

The meaning of life is incredibly significant because it is believed to balance the good-evil relationship
within the self. It is established as a collective defense against psychological problems like aggression and
divisiveness.
Theorists and philosophers specified that life must be embedded in communication, understanding, and
service.

Research shows that one out of five people are convinced that they are living their lives to the fullest and
that majority of all people who want to live life to its fullest are longing for excitement.

A bucket list is a list of all goals, dreams, and achievements one intends to attain before death.

Physical death is a state that all humans will encounter at the end of conscious life. Many people are
afraid of dying because it is the final, irreversible state of reality that leads to another path or journey.