Prendersi cura della vulnerabilità : considerazioni fenomenologiche sulla liminalità dell'essere

The aim of this text is to show how vulnerability is an essential feature of subjectivity. The theme of the fragility of existence is addressed by taking phenomenology into account and trying to show how the Husserlian subject is anything but a pure and merely transcendental ego. On the contrary, first through the emphasis on corporeality and temporality, and then through the concept of ‘liminality' in his posthumous writings, a subject immersed in and conditioned by factuality emerges. From this perspective, ‘limit phenomena' are intrinsic to human existence, which is nothing more than a continuous struggle (Streben). Such a vision of the subject can be useful in rethinking the notion of ‘well-being', which today is anchored to an ideal of perfection devoid of all weakness. Accordingly, taking care of vulnerability becomes a moral and ontological imperative to be followed if we want to survive the ‘sea of suffering' that envelops us. [Publisher's text]