According to Jurgen Habermas, there are two types of social relationships: personal relationships based on mutual regard between individuals, and transactional relationships where individuals regard each other as a means to an end. Habermas also analyzes society as composed of three spheres: the economic market, the political state, and the lifeworld. Transactional relationships are more common in the market and state, while personal relationships define the lifeworld. Over history, societies have developed social systems and the lifeworld, with modern industrial societies seeing the lifeworld distinguished from social systems controlled by tribal leaders or monarchs. A balance must be struck between individualism and collectivism in society according to thinkers like Martin Buber.

1. THE HUMAN
PERSON IN
SOCIETY
Introduction to the philosophy of the human person
Quarter 4

2. AccordingtoJurgenHabemas,therearetwo
kindsofSocialRelationships:
■ 1. Personal - interactions are based on mutual regard
from each other as persons. Interactions in personal
relationships are defined by cooperation rather than by
competition.
■ 2. Transactional - interactions are based on a regard for
each other as a means of attaining one’s goal. Persons
are “used not necessarily in the derogatory sense, to
help one attain his goals or succeed in his plans.

3. Twotypesofinteractioninsociety:
Social Relation Kind of
interaction
How one treats
the other in the
social
relationship
Transactional Instrumental As an object, a means
for attaining one’s goal
(Subject – object)
Personal Communicative
action
As a fellow subject a
fellow person
(Intersubjective)

4. Market,state,andlifeworld
■ In the Social theory of Jurgen Habermas, society is composed of
3 main spheres: 1. Social system of money (economic) 2. social
system of power (political) 3. the lifeworld.
■ Each sphere calls for different interactions in the market and
the state relationships are more of transactional, and so
individuals ww each other as means for a particular goal or
end.
■ Furthermore, transactional relationships are neutral to the
affective aspect of relationship.

5. SocialInteractionandthedevelopmentof
societies
■ According to Habermas, social interactions as a species helped
developed two important realms: a.) social systems, b.) the
realm of the lifeworld. Together, social systems and the lifeworld
make up a society.
■ The development of society depends on these two elements:
material and symbolic reproduction, just as a person needs
physical and spiritual nounishment Material reproduction refers
to the utilization and distribution of society’s resources for the
physical survival and welfare of all individual members.

6. Historicaldevelopmentofsocietiesandthe
developmentofindividualconsciousness
1. Tribal and feudal society
■ Material reproduction (hunting and gathering, agricultural) was not
clearly defined from culture, norms and the self-understanding of
individual members
■ Tribal leaders have the powers in distribution of matenal resources in
society so as in Feudal society.
■ Tribals and monarchs had control over the social systems of economy
and politics.

7. ModernindustrializedSociety
■ There is a development of trade and the emergence of capitalist
system of economy
■ Tribal leaders and monarchs no longer held a monopoly over
material resources in society.
■ Markets gained independence from political control.
■ Political systems gradually recognized the rights of individuals and
redistribution of wealth in societies.
■ Monarchial and tribal powers were no longer absolute.
■ The lifeworld became more and more distinguished from the
social systems.

8. MechanicalandorganicSolidarity:theprovinceand
theCity
■ Rural - those who grew up in rural communities would say
that the model of society they live in still has traces of
feudalism. As such, the kind solidarity that mobilizes
community members follows Durkheim’s mechanistic model.
■ Urban – The situation is significantly different in urban
communities that are more industrialized rather than
feudalistic.

9. Theharmonybetweenindividualismand
collectivism
IndividualismVs.Collectivism
■ Individualism-ishowwedescribeasocietythatchampionsthe
freedomofindividualpersons.
■ Collectivism–isobserved insocietiesthatgive priontytounityover
therecognitionofone’sindividualfreedom.

10. Theharmonybetween individualism andcollectivism
■ Martin Buber (1878-1965) and his reflections on the I-
Thou relationship points out that we do not need to
choose one over the other.
■ On the one hand, an individual cannot be an individual
without the collectivity Buber asserts that the human
person is a being between man and man.”
■ On the other hand, a collectivity cannot be formed
without the cooperative accomplishments of
individuals.