La cura e le passioni nella riflessione critica di Elena Pulcini

The paper tries to identify selected key features of Pulcini’s critical reflection on the modern roots of the pathologies of contemporary societies. Firstly, it shows the width and relevance of Pulcini’s analysis of different understandings of the human affective sphere both for critical and normative purposes. Secondly, the crucial values she recognizes to the possibility of considering humans as endowed with passions which are open to the others, rather than only self-centered, is underlined, together with the width of the philosophical traditions she crosses in this analysis. Finally, her recent interest in care ethics, in its interaction with justice theories, is proposed as a coherent and interesting conclusion of long-lasting reflective journey, sadly interrupted by her premature death.