1. Katalin Illes and Jennifer Wascak
Caring for the Other
Katalin Illes and Jennifer Wascak
New Economy, Old Traditions: Caring Entrepreneurship
Annual European SPES Conference,
Tel Aviv University, 4-6 September 2017

2. Philosophy as a tool for development Conclusions
Caring for the Other
The Context
The Case study
Martin Buber
Albert Bandura
Discussion
Philosophy as a tool for development
Conclusions

3. Whose responsibility are they?
The Context
Migrants and asylum seekers at the gates of Europe risking their lives in the hope of a better future
Whose responsibility are they?

4. The Case Study
The influx of large numbers of people seeking better lives for themselves and their families creates social, economic, and political challenges to UK local councils, the Home Office, immigration courts, and NGOs who struggle to provide for, process, and finance their basic needs.
The growing number of migrants also create fear among natives who feel that their jobs, life-style and culture are in danger.

5. German-Jewish philosopher A student of Hasidism
Martin Buber ( )
German-Jewish philosopher
A student of Hasidism
Each individual is responsible for the piece of world entrusted to him.
Deep responsibility is a human response in every day life to the signs of eternal Thou.
Buber’s religious beliefs are rooted in Kantian thought
Took the principle of relationship from Kant and diverged from him, claiming that there are not one but two kinds of relationship between subject and object.

6. Martin Buber: I and Thou
“The world is twofold for man in accordance with his twofold attitude.
The attitude of man is twofold in accordance with the two basic words he speaks.
The basic words are not single words but word pairs.
One basic word is the word pair I-You.
The other basic word is the word pair I-It; but this basic word is not changed when He or She takes the place of It.
Thus the I of man is also two fold.
For the I of the basic word I-You is different from that in the basic word I-It.” (Buber, I and Thou, 1970 p. 53).

7. Argues that moral agency is either inhibitive or proactive.
Albert Bandura
Rejects theories suggesting that human behaviour resides either with the individual or the environment.
Argues that moral agency is either inhibitive or proactive.
Social Cognitive Theory
Human functioning is a product of interplay of personal influences, the behaviours individuals engage in and the environmental forces that impact on them (Bandura, 1986).

8. Discussion
Individuals self-construct their moral standards, they draw from a variety of sources, influenced by many factors and do not always practice what they preach. The same individual can follow different moral standards in different settings or in different activities not necessarily even being aware of these inconsistencies.

9. Language is a powerful tool for reconstruction.
Discussion
People cognitively reconstruct morality through moral, social and economic justification.
Language is a powerful tool for reconstruction.
Advantageous comparisons
Dehumanisation

10. How do we see the world? Personal experiences, Environment, Culture,
Belief system,
Values,
Personality type,
Influence how we see the world.
How we see the world influence how we are and how we act or react in the world. Our behaviour influence others.
Do we see ourselves as separated from everybody else?
Do we see ourselves as connected with all beings in the planet?

11. Philosophy as a developmental tool
How could we consciously encourage the language and behaviour of humanization?
How could we become more self-observant and catch ourselves before we miss an opportunity to move into an ‘I- Thou” relationship?
Good leaders are expected to lead with integrity and authority.
Do you know a leader who fits this description?
How well do you fit this description? – Perhaps we need to cultivating these qualities in ourselves.

12. Philosophy as a developmental tool
Plato: What if you are anonymous?
Kant: everyone’s viewpoint needed to be considered
Rawls: what if you might be anyone?

13. Conclusions
Raising self and collective awareness about our responsibilities for other human beings, nature and the planet requires ongoing efforts both from individuals and communities.
We believe it is the best investment one can consciously make into the well-being of the self and present and future generations.

14. Questions?
Thank you.