Abstract
Professional relations in the field of pedagogy, education and care are often described as symmetric or asymmetric having in mind that the professional has an advantage of being the professional. Using the perspective from the philosopher Emmanuel Lévinas this is not just a matter of course that the professional has the advantage.
In Denmark we have a tradition of referring to the Danish philosopher K.E.Løgstrup or the German philosopher Martin Buber when investigating the professional encounter or meeting and often stating the asymmetry without any further considerations... Løgstrup makes us aware that we cannot refuse to take the responsibility in a situation with an ethical demand and these situations occur to us without any intention. We end up having parts of the other person’s life in our hands, he says. And it is up to us, whether this life will succeed or not. Buber, known as the “Philosopher of the meeting” tells us that we are not to make the other person an “it” and thus objectify him. We are responsible and stand at both ends of the professional relation, he says.
With Lévinas you get more perspectives on these ethical questions.
In this paper I am going to introduce some of Lévinas thinking and use them together with authentic examples. The examples are all from professional work with people with very severe acquired brain damages. They all live in a protected setting, constantly and permanently depending on different kinds of support. The professionals can be rooted in care or pedagogy or both, and the examples are to be seen in a Danish context.
On this background I will reflect on a modern understanding of being a professional in areas of care, pedagogy and education. Even if Lévinas seems utopian, his work can contribute to new reflections related to tendencies in a modern world – tendencies related to power, to individualization, and to a lack of presence.
Keywords: applied ethics, symmetry and asymmetry, power, professionals, responsibility, hostage, education
In Denmark we have a tradition of referring to the Danish philosopher K.E.Løgstrup or the German philosopher Martin Buber when investigating the professional encounter or meeting and often stating the asymmetry without any further considerations... Løgstrup makes us aware that we cannot refuse to take the responsibility in a situation with an ethical demand and these situations occur to us without any intention. We end up having parts of the other person’s life in our hands, he says. And it is up to us, whether this life will succeed or not. Buber, known as the “Philosopher of the meeting” tells us that we are not to make the other person an “it” and thus objectify him. We are responsible and stand at both ends of the professional relation, he says.
With Lévinas you get more perspectives on these ethical questions.
In this paper I am going to introduce some of Lévinas thinking and use them together with authentic examples. The examples are all from professional work with people with very severe acquired brain damages. They all live in a protected setting, constantly and permanently depending on different kinds of support. The professionals can be rooted in care or pedagogy or both, and the examples are to be seen in a Danish context.
On this background I will reflect on a modern understanding of being a professional in areas of care, pedagogy and education. Even if Lévinas seems utopian, his work can contribute to new reflections related to tendencies in a modern world – tendencies related to power, to individualization, and to a lack of presence.
Keywords: applied ethics, symmetry and asymmetry, power, professionals, responsibility, hostage, education
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|---|
| Publikationsdato | 19 jan. 2015 |
| Antal sider | 8 |
| Status | Udgivet - 19 jan. 2015 |
| Begivenhed | The 2015 WEI International Academic Conference - Barcelona, Spanien Varighed: 18 jan. 2015 → 21 jan. 2015 |
Konference
| Konference | The 2015 WEI International Academic Conference |
|---|---|
| Land/Område | Spanien |
| By | Barcelona |
| Periode | 18/01/15 → 21/01/15 |
Emneord
- professionsuddannelser
- asymmetri
- borgere med handicap
- etik
- professionelle relationer
- socialpædagogik
- symmetri
- humanistiske fag
- Etik
- embodiment
- fænomenologi
- handicapped people
- sansning
- sygepleje
- dannelse