Premise. Vulnerability: Environments and Relations

Abstract

The theme of vulnerability increases in importance throughout the twentieth century and now plays a central role in both philosophical and public debate. The etymological origin, from the Latin vulnerabilis, “who can be woundedâ€, refers directly to the bodily sphere, but its meaning has now expanded considerably, also affecting the psychological, social and existential space and revealing the inherently relational character of this notion. Each individual is in fact always involved in a network of relationships of which he/she does not have full control, and in which he/she is not autonomous but exposed and dependent.

The climate and ecological crisis, political instability due to the outbreak of conflicts and wars, and the digital revolution are just some of the privi- leged places where the interdependence of human beings with each other and with the environment take place.

Besides effectively describing the existential situation and structure of our relationships, the notion of ‘vulnerability’ has also proved fruitful in redefining these same relationships, activating strategies of action based on care, responsibility, sustainability, creativity, resilience and resistance.

The present issue of “Teoria†aims to investigate this key-concept in contemporary thought from an ethical perspective, focusing on its role in defining and promoting new modes of relationship.