The Significance of the Ethics of Respect

The Significance of the Ethics of Respect

Josep M. Esquirol (University of Barcelona, Spain)
Copyright: © 2012 |Pages: 9
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-1773-5.ch002

Abstract

In this paper, the author examines the idea of respect and makes this the cornerstone of a new approach to ethics that is particularly well suited to addressing the challenges society faces in an age shaped so profoundly by technology. The author uncovers a wealth of meaning in the notion of ‘respect’ and shows how this relates to the gaze. The attentive gaze is seen as the essence of respect. This thought-provoking analysis is presented in a straightforward way and is certainly open to further development and refinement in fields such as ecology, medicine, education and the promotion of civic-mindedness.
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‘An art which will not implant the faculty of sight [in the soul] for that exists already, but will set it straight when it has been turned in the wrong direction, and is looking away from the truth…’ (Plato, Republic, VII, 518d)

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Everyday Expressions

Philosophy frequently finds in familiar and colloquial turns of phrase not only a starting point for reflection but also clues that point to the essence of a particular term or concept. The word respect is part of our everyday speech; everyone uses it, knows what it means, and understands that respect for people and certain things is a good example of moral conduct. It is also one of the terms most frequently used in moral and political discourse and in ethical theories of all times. It comes up everywhere: ‘respect for human dignity’, ‘respect for public things’, ‘respect for the environment’, ‘respect for the elderly’, ‘respect for oneself’, ‘respect for justice and freedom’, ‘respect for the law’, ‘respect for works of art’, ‘respect for animals and nature’, ‘respect for the sacred’…

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