Metaphors for Other
Philosophy provides people with a basis to reflect on various aspects of life and the meanings behind them. In Chapter 13 of her book Philosophy of Communication Inquiry, Annette Holba introduces her selection of metaphors for the Other, with one of the major arguments revolving around connections between the metaphors. Chapter 13 explains the meaning of each metaphor and explores the nature of the Other.
Before reviewing the metaphors, it is important to understand the Other, which is only one of two forms. The first form, the capitalized Other, represents unique, personal other, whereas the second one, uncapitalized other, has a common meaning (Holba 250). As Holba uses the capitalized form, her discussion reflects a more individualized approach to the metaphors, of which the author distinguishes four (Holba 251). The first metaphor for the Other is empathy, and it can be described as “an experience of another person’s experience” (qtd. in Holba 253). The next metaphor includes welcome and hospitality and refers to unconditional welcoming as a communicative gesture of saying “yes” to the Other (Holba 254-255). The third metaphor is acknowledgment, which provides one’s attention to others and a space for them in a person’s life (Holba 256). The last metaphor is derivative “I,” and it comes from a place of response rather than telling or dictating, putting the Other before the self (Holba 285). The metaphors reflect the personal relationship between the self and the Other.
Chapter 13 of Philosophy of Communication Inquiry explains in detail the meaning of each metaphor for the Other and makes connections between them. Empathy refers to understanding other person’s experiences, whereas welcome and hospitality invite another person to one’s life. After the invitation, acknowledgment provides a place for another person, and the derivative “I” offers a response to that person’s happenings. Combined, the metaphors can suggest a way of communicating with other people.
Metaphors for Community
The process of communication involves various groups of people. Chapter 14 of Annette Holba’s book Philosophy of Communication Inquiry presents the author’s collection of metaphors for social communities. It is important to notice that Holba mentions a social philosophy that emphasizes the importance of society over the individual (264). With that being said, Chapter 13 explores connections between metaphors for Community and relationships within it.
Metaphors for Community explain a basis for communication between people. Holba recognizes four metaphors that are witness, dialogic civility, professional civility, and self in community (265). Witness refers to something more than simply seeing and sharing, as it also involves acting towards the experiences of the Other (Holba 267). Dialogic civility implies for communication to be meaningful, with one person listening to the Other and responding with respect (Holba 267-268). Professional civility originated with orientation to a particular profession but can refer to any community, as it promotes good within any social context (Holba 271-272). Lastly, self in community encourages to know the self and its specific features in a community (Holba 273-274). Metaphors for Community demonstrate particular aspects of communication between the self and the Other.
Chapter 14 assists in understanding the communication process between members of a community. Upon reading the chapter, one can assume that witness refers to the responsibility of an individual to participate in another person’s life. When people engage in such participation and start communicating, dialogic civility expects them to be active listeners and responders, whereas professional civility prohibits any impolite behavior. Finally, to participate in communication, one should know themselves and their role within a community.
Work Cited
Holba, Annette. Philosophy of Communication Inquiry: An Introduction. Cognella Inc, 2021.