Abstract
The precariousness of the human condition, felt more acutely with the threat of climate change, exposes our profound vulnerability. Individualist philosophies have deluded us in contrast to the Greeks, and most of the earliest religions, whose practices that reminded them of their dependence on the natural world for wellbeing. The hearths of Hestia and duty to her was tied to being able to cook, eat, and keep warm. Such practices serve to remind us humans of our place in the cosmos and our obligations for respect, care, and even reverence. Caring for life is both caring for ourselves as humans and our biotic community. Care ethics provides a moral framework for how to think of the work of ecology. But, changing our lifeways to express commitment to caring for the natural world requires profound paradigm shifts–especially for Westerners. Spiritual traditions can aid us in this endeavor. Caritas, or love, carries with it a deep offering of moral regard and practical care that strives for the wellbeing of another. Earth is the ground of our being and provides a pluralistic meeting ground for religious and nonreligious alike. In our communities where we live, eat, and grow our food, we need shared practices to recall us again to our dependence on Earth and habits that will put us back into relation for mutual care. Thus, I argue that the virtue of caritas, which draws on both practical and spiritual practices, can aid us in recreating a right relation with Earth.
Presenters
Kimberley ParzuchowskiAdjunct Professor, Philosophy; Business, University of Oregon, Lane Community College, and Bushnell University, Oregon, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2023 Special Focus—Religion in the Public Sphere: From the Ancient Years to the Post-Modern Era
KEYWORDS
Care Ethics Ecology Contemplative Ecology Biocentrism Biophilia
