Naslov
Vulnerability, the Self, and the Other

Autori
Zagorac, Ivana

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, ostalo, znanstveni

Skup
International Conference on Philosophy for Children: Cosmopolitanism and Identity

Mjesto i datum
Graz, Austrija, 13.10.2016. - 16.10.2016

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
vulnerability ; philosophy ; 'shared vulnerability' ; ethics

Sažetak
The concept of vulnerability is often referred to in normative projects that typically involve minimizing vulnerability and protecting the vulnerable. Although various guidelines stipulate special protection for vulnerable populations, the concept of vulnerability itself and the criteria designating vulnerable populations remain vague. Conventional understanding holds that to be vulnerable is simply to be somehow weaker, defenseless and dependant, open to harm and injury. We wish to believe that the paradigmatic exemplar of a human being should perhaps only sometimes, in special situations created through the misfortunate coincidence of unfavourable circumstances, be defenceless, passive, and in need of protection. Vulnerability interpreted in this way always belongs to others: "the poor", "the unemployed", "the immigrants", "the sick", to mention only a few. The language of special vulnerability justifies measures of special protection that would presumably be lost if we were to admit that vulnerability is an unavoidable feature of our very existence. Indeed, if we all are vulnerable, if we all are "others", who should then be entitled to special protection? In the first part of a paper, we shall examine tensions between these two understandings of vulnerability. We agree with authors who have pointed out that the well- intended practice of protecting the vulnerable due to unfounded generalization can turn into unnecessary paternalism and lead to stereotyping, discrimination, and stigmatization. There is no uniform way in which individuals respond to a particular situation ; each person has her own narrative that cannot be fully described by a label, not even when labelling nominally serves to protect. In the second part of a paper, we shall focus on the concept of "shared vulnerability". This understanding is often criticized as useless in everyday life, even dangerous as it allegedly questions good practice of providing special help to those in special need. We shall argue that this concept is worthy of our attention, moreover that it should have a prominent role in the process of education as it encourages us to cherish compassion, empathy, kindness, and benevolence, promote solidarity on a personal and general level, support respect for human rights, take responsibility for future generations, etc. Understood in this way, vulnerability becomes an important element in the construction of both personal identity and social bonds. Moreover, as some philosophers claim, the self comes after otherness, it is built through unavoidable dependence on others and it is constituted as vulnerability. Vulnerability is thus an inevitable and permanent characteristic of human beings which explains the impossible inwardness of a man, captures complexity of human responsiveness and enforces his responsibility for the others.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Filozofija

Napomena
Rad je prezentiran u okviru projekta "Filozofski i
odgojni aspekti suosjećanja", financiranog potporom
Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, 2016.

POVEZANOST RADA