503. THE PHILOSOPHY OF CARING

John Lutz

What is caring? What does it mean to care for another person? What are the basic elements of caring? Caring infuses every aspect of our lives and sustains us in ways that are often invisible but profoundly consequential to our individual and collective well-being. Throughout this course, we will look at caring from a variety of perspectives. We will explore what it means to care for people, ideas, ideals, community, activities, the environment, ourselves, and words. We will examine caring through works of philosophy, literature, poetry, and art from a variety of time periods and cultures. We will consider the psychological cost of caring and whether there are circumstances in which it is appropriate not to care. We will explore the ethical dimensions of caring and the social and political consequences of not caring. We will read the works of philosophy listed below. Other works of literature, poetry, and art will supplement these readings. 

Milton Mayeroff On Caring 

Elie Weisel The Perils of Indifference 

Todd May  Care: Reflections on Who We Are 

Marilyn McEntyre Caring About Words in a Culture of Lies 

1:00-3:00 p.m.                                                                                                 8 sessions

Wednesdays, Oct. 15, 22, 29; Nov. 5, 26; Dec. 3, 10, 17                                  Fee: $200

(No classes on Nov. 12th and Nov. 19th)  

ABOUT THE LECTURER

John Lutz is Professor of English and oversees a university Division of Humanities which houses English, Philosophy, and Foreign Language. In addition, he has led numerous initiatives such as College 101, Learning Communities, Freshman Orientation, Strategic Planning, and Outcomes Assessment. Dr. Lutz has published numerous scholarly articles on both philosophy and literature, including a recent publication entitled “ ‘Objects Insignificant to Sight’: Racial Violence and Empathy in Faulkner’s ‘Pantaloon in Black’,” The Faulkner Journal, 2023; he also has a forthcoming publication of a new book about empathy and the literary imagination. Additionally, he has consistently been honored and has won significant awards for outstanding teaching throughout his stellar career.