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The responsible subject in the global age.
1Dipartimento di Filosofia, University of Florence, Via Bolognese 52, 50139, Florence, Italy. elenapulcini@gmail.it
Science and Engineering Ethics
|November 4, 2009
Summary
Twentieth-century global risks redefined responsibility to include caring for others and the planet. Overcoming subject pathologies is crucial for recognizing vulnerability and motivating ethical action towards humanity's future.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy
- Ethics
- Sociology
Background:
- The concept of responsibility evolved significantly in the 20th century due to global risks.
- Hans Jonas highlighted the need for responsibility towards the planet and future generations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the redefinition of responsibility in the 20th century.
- To analyze the challenges to the responsible subject, particularly the 'pathological subject'.
- To propose a new foundation for responsibility based on vulnerability and interconnectedness.
Main Methods:
- Philosophical analysis of responsibility concepts.
- Engagement with Hans Jonas's ethics of responsibility.
- Utilizing Günther Anders's psycho-anthropological reflections on the modern subject.
Main Results:
- Responsibility now encompasses proactive care for the 'other' and the global environment.
- The modern subject exhibits a 'scission' or split in faculties, hindering capacity for responsibility.
- Overcoming this internal division is essential for perceiving risks and fostering a sense of shared vulnerability.
Conclusions:
- A new ethical framework for responsibility is needed, moving beyond duty.
- Motivation for responsibility arises from recognizing our interconnectedness and vulnerability.
- This understanding is vital for addressing contemporary global challenges and ensuring collective survival.
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