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Rethinking emulation: Why Zagzebski’s account of admiration qua exemplarism falls short as a moral developmental theory
No full textIf cultivating phronesis – broadly understood as excellence in ethical decision making – and the related moral virtues is a central aim of neo-Aristotelian character education, then, in this context, it follows that the aim of a moral developmental theory is to explain, step-by-step, how one acquires phronesis and moral virtue from infancy to moral maturity. Emulation has become an increasingly prominent way of acquiring said traits, with scholars championing it as a, maybe even the, primary method of virtuous character development. Yet there remains some debate as to precisely what emulation is, conceptually speaking, and how it might work as a methodological process, and in this theoretical quagmire Linda Zagzebski’s account – which focuses on the admiration of exemplars – has reigned strong. Despite its various merits, in this paper, I challenge its continued status as an overarching moral developmental theory of emulation. I argue that it is time for the philosophical tide to (re-)turn to emulation qua role modelling as a moral developmental method and reconsider its overreliance on Zagzebski’s theory of admiration qua exemplarism, which arguably misses the mark in explaining how we acquire the full spectrum of moral virtue and phronesis. Specifically, I suggest that as a moral developmental method Zagzebski’s theory of admiration falls short on three important grounds – philosophical rigour, psychological realism and developmental adequacy – and subsequently advance three related objections. These concern, first, that Zagzebski’s understanding of admiration is philosophically incomplete because it rests on a misinterpretation of Aristotle’s account of zẽlos in Rhetoric; second, that her position is psychologically unrealistic, because even if one accepts her account of the so called ‘emotion’ of admiration, alone it is motivationally too simple to explain how learners acquire the full spectrum of moral virtue; and third, that – drawing upon the empirically supported neo-Aristotelian Phronesis Model which demonstrates the salience of phronesis to moral decision making –Zagzebski’s theory of admiration is developmentally inadequate because, by omitting phronesis from its ethical repertoire, it cannot provide an account of how it develops. In response to these objections, I then propose a solution in the form of my own theory of emulation qua role modelling – a two-step psycho-moral process involving a new concept, entangled phronesis
Emotional responses to potentially traumatic events:An interpretative qualitative analysis of high-risk professionals in relation to their social structures
No full textBackgroundProfessionals in emergency-focused environments are taught to prioritize emergencies over their own emotions and trained to suppress their own emotional reactions. High-risk professionals in a vertical social structure, such as police officers, military personnel, career firefighters, and perioperative nurses, also tend to develop an us-versus-them mentality with emotional distance from patients or civilians.ObjectiveThis study explores emotional reactions of police officers, military personnel, firefighters, paramedics, and specialized nurses (emergency room nurses, operating room nurses, and intensive care nurses) to past and present potentially traumatic events. We aim to understand how a social environment that reinforces suppression of emotional reactions and fosters emotional distance from patients and civilians influences their emotional responses.MethodologyWe analyzed fieldnotes from ethnographical research, encompassing 332 h of observations and 71 in-depth interviews with professionals from eight occupational groups. We identified meaning units that were interpreted through the lens of literature on etiology and treatment of trauma-related mental health problems.FindingsHigh-risk professionals in a vertical social structure experience unexpected moments of identification with victims or patients, which leads to personal distress and has lasting emotional impact. For those in horizontal social structures, such as paramedics and specialized nurses, we did not observe these sudden, intense emotional reactions. Instead, they seem to experience increased emotionality and exhaustion over the course of their careers.ConclusionWhile emotional distancing may be functional during emergencies, it likely increases the risk of traumatization. This risk is amplified when ingrained during early socialization
De kracht van eenzaamheid:Hoe eenzaamheid ons uitdaagt en in beweging zet
No full textEenzaamheid is vaak omgeven met schaamte en taboe. Toch zijn er maar weinig gevoelens zo universeel als eenzaamheid. Het is een normaal aspect van het leven dat iedereen wel eens ervaart. Eenzaamheid kent veel vormen en schakeringen, variërend van tijdelijk psychisch ongemak tot een chronische situatie die onoplosbaar lijkt en gepaard gaat met gevoelens van zinloosheid en vervreemding. De kern is een pijnlijk gemis aan verbondenheid. Een gemis aan hechte relaties met een partner, familie of vrienden, een gemis aan inbedding in een breder netwerk met gelijkgestemden, of een gemis aan maatschappelijke waardering en erkenning. In De kracht van eenzaamheid verkent Anja Machielse de complexe aard van eenzaamheid en hoe we daarmee om kunnen gaan. Aan de hand van persoonlijke verhalen, laat ze zien dat eenzaamheid een krachtige emotie is die ons uitdaagt om na te denken over onze relaties, keuzes te maken en nieuwe wegen in te slaan. <br/
Getting To(wards) Know(ing) Together:An Innovative Collaborative Approach in Residential Care for People with (Severe) Intellectual Disabilities and Behaviour That Challenges
No full textPeople with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities (M/S ID) and behaviour that challenges are still almost exclusively encountered and understood within a highly specialized professional care system context. They are almost invisible in the societal mainstream, where a wider variety of perspectives on (everyday) manners, encounters, relationships and life applies. These (and other) exclusionary dynamics render everyday relations with residents with M/S ID whose behaviours challenge still largely dependent on the interpretative frameworks and actions of professionals. Professionals are trained and socialized within highly specialized professional care system contexts, despite a growing scientific and professional awareness that behaviour that challenges is a multifaceted and contextual phenomenon. In this paper, we report on a pioneering initiative (titled Project WAVE) which aimed to cultivate a fresh and comprehensive approach to behaviours that challenge within stagnant care practices. Our goal was to foster an innovative collaborative paradigm by facilitating an extensive and enduring exchange between "insiders"-professionals of specialized care system contexts-and "outsider-researchers"-individuals socialized through alternative avenues. We present our epistemological and methodological approach, the data collection process (a multiple case-informed community of practice), and the most important lessons learned