I and Thou
Facets/Dimensions of I – Thou relation:
I - Mother
• The starting point in phenomenology is the question “What makes man human?”. First, a
self is always in relation to the other
• Whether we realize it or not, the mother first awakens the sense of I in the baby. It initiates
the child first to the sense of his selfhood
• 0-3 years is the range of mental stimulation with others
• Dependence
Brother – sister
• There is a relation between siblings, brothers-sisters relationship
• In Filipino, it is suggested by the term “kapatid” which means equality, being cut one’s
umbilical cord the same mother
• Equality
Husband – wife or the relation between spouses
• collaboration
Parent – child
• responsibility
The first permanent and universal structure in man is the self and other.
“Existence is co-existence”
The point in the four relations is that a self is in relation to another self.
All four relations are intimate in the sense that selves are related to each other.
Intimacy’s aspects are openness, trust, and respect. Intimacy is important because it is what the
I and thou means.
The self can only be maintained in the presence of the Thou or the other.
The four generalized implications make us human.
Facets/Dimensions of I – Thou relation:
I - Mother
• The starting point in phenomenology is the question “What makes man human?”. First, a
self is always in relation to the other
• Whether we realize it or not, the mother first awakens the sense of I in the baby. It initiates
the child first to the sense of his selfhood
• 0-3 years is the range of mental stimulation with others
• Dependence
Brother – sister
• There is a relation between siblings, brothers-sisters relationship
• In Filipino, it is suggested by the term “kapatid” which means equality, being cut one’s
umbilical cord the same mother
• Equality
Husband – wife or the relation between spouses
• collaboration
Parent – child
• responsibility
The first permanent and universal structure in man is the self and other.
“Existence is co-existence”
The point in the four relations is that a self is in relation to another self.
All four relations are intimate in the sense that selves are related to each other.
Intimacy’s aspects are openness, trust, and respect. Intimacy is important because it is what the
I and thou means.
The self can only be maintained in the presence of the Thou or the other.
The four generalized implications make us human.
