Before unpacking the implications of "embodied subjectivity," let us unlock first the meaning of each word. The word, subject, is synonymous with the I. I is a first-person pronoun used as a substitute for a noun in the nominative case (or, as a subject of a sentence). Like, for example, "I am handsome," "I am a student," "I am intelligent," and so on and on. As a subject of a sentence, the term, I, is the source of actions and predications. The term, "embodied," serves as a modifier of the subjectivity. Thus, embodied subjectivity means that this subject or "I" is given the human form or enfleshed in the human body. As embodied subjectivity, man's existence is structured by this bodily or physical existence.
Now, let's unpack some implications of man as "embodied subjectivity." Dy (2001) suggests that embodied subjectivity is, first and foremost, a "well-spring of meanings and initiatives." As mentioned above, all actions such as running, talking, sitting, etc. are initiated by the subject; all predicates like handsome, tall, fair complexion, etc. are ascribed to the subject. Thus, the "I" stands as the subject having all the potentials of what he wants to be. Traditionally, man is defined as a "rational animal," or a "thinking thing." The problem with this definition is that man is essentially a thinking or rational being. With this definition, man is deemed to think, think, think, think... But, this is not always what a person or any of us does. As a subject, man thinks, feels, gets angry, gets in love, is running, is talking, is smiling... and so and so forth. So, thinking is only one of his mental activities. In essence, man is a subject, which is a never-ending source of actions and predications --thus, also a source of meaning and initiatives. It should be clear, however, that this never-ending wellspring (subjectivity) is structured by its physical conditions. By itself, it's structureless, though. Structureless --in the sense that nothing can control what man wants to do, what he wants to be. But, because he is an embodied subject, all his activities like thinking, feeling, imagining, and actions like talking, running, smiling are conditioned (or structured) by his physical conditions. In this context, it is also safe to conclude that all of his actions and activities (or external) are an embodiment of what is within (the internal).
Secondly, man as embodied subjectivity is part of his immediate environment --be it, social or natural environment. Natural environment refers to his surroundings, the earth as a whole. Social environment refers to the people surrounding him --his immediate family members, the community he is living in, the church he belongs, the economic and political institutions he belongs to. All of this consists of man's being-in-the-world, his being-with-others, and his being in relation to the Absolute. These topics will be treated in the proceeding chapters.
Now, let's unpack some implications of man as "embodied subjectivity." Dy (2001) suggests that embodied subjectivity is, first and foremost, a "well-spring of meanings and initiatives." As mentioned above, all actions such as running, talking, sitting, etc. are initiated by the subject; all predicates like handsome, tall, fair complexion, etc. are ascribed to the subject. Thus, the "I" stands as the subject having all the potentials of what he wants to be. Traditionally, man is defined as a "rational animal," or a "thinking thing." The problem with this definition is that man is essentially a thinking or rational being. With this definition, man is deemed to think, think, think, think... But, this is not always what a person or any of us does. As a subject, man thinks, feels, gets angry, gets in love, is running, is talking, is smiling... and so and so forth. So, thinking is only one of his mental activities. In essence, man is a subject, which is a never-ending source of actions and predications --thus, also a source of meaning and initiatives. It should be clear, however, that this never-ending wellspring (subjectivity) is structured by its physical conditions. By itself, it's structureless, though. Structureless --in the sense that nothing can control what man wants to do, what he wants to be. But, because he is an embodied subject, all his activities like thinking, feeling, imagining, and actions like talking, running, smiling are conditioned (or structured) by his physical conditions. In this context, it is also safe to conclude that all of his actions and activities (or external) are an embodiment of what is within (the internal).
Secondly, man as embodied subjectivity is part of his immediate environment --be it, social or natural environment. Natural environment refers to his surroundings, the earth as a whole. Social environment refers to the people surrounding him --his immediate family members, the community he is living in, the church he belongs, the economic and political institutions he belongs to. All of this consists of man's being-in-the-world, his being-with-others, and his being in relation to the Absolute. These topics will be treated in the proceeding chapters.
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