Axel Rudolphi: Dissertation Work

Axel Rudolphi, Uppsala University, presents part of his PhD: "The Relevance of Vulnerability for Philosophical Aesthetics"

Abstract
The notion of vulnerability has mostly received attention within ethics. Understood as an ontological concept of normative significance, vulnerability has been argued to ground moral and political responsibilities (Goodin 1985), moral virtues (MacIntyre 1999), and relations of care (Mackenzie et al. 2014; Hägglund 2019). In this paper I discuss the relevance of vulnerability for philosophical aesthetics. I first argue that the notion of vulnerability has been applied both too widely and too narrowly within existing philosophical discussions. Secondly, I propose a taxonomy for the ways in which vulnerability relates to the aesthetic domain. I conclude by outlining the main philosophical issues arising within the intersection of vulnerability and aesthetics.