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The nature of care in light of Emmanuel Levinas
Author(s) -
Lavoie Mireille,
De Koninck Thomas,
Blondeau Danielle
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
nursing philosophy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.367
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1466-769X
pISSN - 1466-7681
DOI - 10.1111/j.1466-769x.2006.00279.x
Subject(s) - meaning (existential) , feeling , affection , relation (database) , ontology , nursing care , epistemology , nursing , focus (optics) , psychological intervention , sociology , psychology , psychoanalysis , philosophy , medicine , physics , database , computer science , optics
The discipline of nursing is still struggling with the differences that need to be clearly defined between the notions of care and nursing care. To be able to clarify this distinction, agreement must first be reached on the meaning of care itself. The present article proposes a conception of care in light of the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas (1906–1995). This philosopher’s thought throws considerable light on the ontology of care, thanks especially to his focus on the deeper implications of human encounter. A profound sense of responsibility towards the other enables Levinas to bring out such dimensions of the concept of care as the relation involved, the feeling of affection, and the interventions. We examine here what these entail regarding nursing care.