Guide in PDF format

Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Care Ethics I. The Western perspective

Code: 45065 ECTS Credits: 6

2025/2026

Degree	Type	Year
Care Philosophies	OB	1

Contact

Name:: Jesus Adrian Escudero
Email:: jesus.adrian@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.

Prerequisites

Proficiency in English is recommended to be able to read and consult the majority of the primary and secondary literature in the subject.

Objectives and Contextualisation

1. Understanding and analyzing ethical principles: Students should be able to identify, understand, and analyze the main ethical principles and philosophical theories that underpin care and decision-making in professional and personal contexts.

2. Developing critical thinking skills: Fostering critical thinking in students so they can evaluate complex situations, identify ethical dilemmas, and formulate informed and morally coherent decisions in their professional practice.

3. Applying ethical concepts to real situations: Assisting students in applying ethical concepts and frameworks to real-world situations, especially those related to the care of individuals and communities, to make well-founded ethical decisions in their daily practice.

5. Understanding the impact of personal and cultural values: Students should explore how personal, cultural, and social values influence ethical perspective and decision-making, promoting a sensitive and respectful practice towards diversity and human dignity.

6. Promoting personal and professional reflection: Encouraging continuous personal and professional reflection on one's practice and ethical values, promoting the development of a robust personal ethics and a sustained commitment to integrity and excellence in care.

Learning Outcomes

CA01 (Competence) [pendent traducció a en] Generar propuestas que analicen la ética del cuidado en la tradición occidental en equipos interdisciplinarios y de forma colaborativa y cooperativa
CA02 (Competence) [pendent traducció a en] Efectuar valoraciones y correcciones del propio trabajo en la reflexión filosófica aplicada
KA01 (Knowledge) [pendent traducció a en] Identificar el concepto del cuidado a lo largo de la historia de la filosofía occidental
KA02 (Knowledge) [pendent traducció a en] Analizar la función práctica de la ética del cuidado en el contexto de la filosofía como forma de vida
KA03 (Knowledge) [pendent traducció a en] Reconocer los espacios de cuidado en ámbitos profesionales de la sociedad actual (medioambiental, salud, asistenciales, educación)
SA01 (Skill) [pendent traducció a en] Relacionar las principales prácticas de cuidado propias del mundo contemporáneo con la tradición clásica
SA02 (Skill) [pendent traducció a en] Analizar casos de aplicación práctica del cuidado en diferentes contextos profesionales del mundo actual
SA03 (Skill) [pendent traducció a en] Aplicar conocimientos de obras clásicas de la tradición filosófica occidental a las perspectivas actuales de filosofía del cuidado
SA04 (Skill) [pendent traducció a en] Interpretar fuentes documentales clásicas y contemporáneas relacionadas con la concepción del cuidado de la filosofía occidental de forma crítica y rigurosa

Content

Brief history of self-care

1. 1 From Socrates to the Hellenistic schools

1.2 From Montaigne to Nietzsche

1.3 From Heidegger to Foucault Ethics of care in contemporary debate

Required readings:

Hadot, P. (2009). “La filosofía como vida y como búsqueda de la sabiduría” y “De Sócrates a Foucault. Una larga tradición”. En P. Hadot, Filosofía como forma de vida. Madrid: Alpha Decay, pp. 151-182 y 183-214.

Nussbaum, M. (2003)/[1994]. “Argumentos terapéuticos”. En M. Nussbaum, La terapia del deseo. Teoría y práctica en la ética helenística. Barcelona: Paidós, pp. 33-74.

The classical tradition of care

2.1 Socrates: master of wisdom T

2.2. he forging of character: Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius

Required readings:

Foucault, M. (2005)/[1982]. La hermenéutica del sujeto (Curso del Collège de France de 1982. Clase del 6 de enero de 1982). Madrid: Akal, pp. 13-35.

Epicteto y Hadot. P. (2019). Manual para la vida feliz. Madrid: Errata Naturae. (Se recomienda esta edición del texto de Epicteto, acompañado de un excelente manual de lectura redactado por Pierre Hadot).

3. Heidegger and the ontology of care

3.1 The ontological structure of care

3. 2 Positionality and fourfold: technical domination versus care

Required readings:

Heidegger, M. (2021)/[1951]. Construir, habitar, pensar. Madrid: La Oficina. (Traducción de Jesús Adrián Escudero).

Heidegger, M. (2021)/[1953]. La pregunta por la técnica. Barcelona: Herder. (Traducción de Jesús Adrián Escudero).

4. Foucault: the ethics of self-care and care of others

4.1 From the theory of power to the ethics of care

4.2 The techniques of the self

Required readings:

Foucault, M. (1999)/[1982]. “Las técnicas de sí”. En M. Foucualt, Estética, ética y hermenéutica (Obras esenciales, vol. III). Barcelona: Paidós, pp. 443-474.

Foucault (1987)/[1984]. “Introducción y modificaciones”. En M. Foucault, Historia de la sexualidad. 2. El uso de los placeres. Madrid: Siglo XXI, pp.7-34.

5. Contemporary ethics of care I

5.1 Fundamental pillars: vulnerability, relationality, and interdependence

5.2 Origin and stages of development of ethics of care

5.3 Meaning, elements, and spaces of care

Required readings:

Camps, V. (2021). Tiempo de cuidados. Otra forma de estar en el mundo. Barcelona: Arpa, pp, 17-51.

Held, V. (2006). “Care as Practice and Value”. En V. Held, The Ethics of Care. Personal, Political, and Global. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 29-42.

6. Contemporary ethics of care II

6.1 From modern liberal morals to ethics of care T

6.2 he five dimensions of care

6.3 Care provider: State or market?

Required readings:

Tronto, J. (2013). “Envisoning a Caring Democracy” y “Can Markets Be Caring? Markets, Care, and Justice”.En J. Tronto, Caring Democracy. Markets, Equality, and Justice. Nueva York y Londres: New York University Press, pp. 17-65 y 114-137.

Tronto, J. (2015). Who Cares? How to Reshape a Democratic Politics. Cornell: Cornell University Press.

Activities and Methodology

Title	Hours	ECTS	Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed
External links	2	0.08	CA02, KA01, SA03, CA02
PPT and video presentations	2	0.08	CA01, SA01, SA04, CA01
Readings	2	0.08	SA03, SA04, SA03
Type: Supervised
Case Studies	1	0.04	CA02, KA02, SA01, CA02
Tutorship	1	0.04	SA02, SA02

The methodology is mainly based on self-directed learning and the flipped classroom.

The course is divided into six blocks organized asynchronously. Each block contains the following resources:

A training module with a video presentation of the central contents of the block.
Links and external materials to expand on the contents presented in the training module.
Two short and assessable required readings.
An assessable quiz with multiple-choice answers.

Upon completing the quiz, the student can move on to the next module until all six modules are completed. At that point, an online tutoring session with the responsible individuals of the course will take place (synchronous if the schedules of the teacher and student allow, asynchronous otherwise), where the theme and contents of the mandatory essay to pass the course will be coordinated.

Additionally, there will be a forum accessible only to the students of the course where they can ask questions to the faculty and fellow students and discuss issues related to the subject matter. If preferred, students can also send personal questions via email to the person responsible for the course.

Note: 15 minutes of a class will be reserved, within the schedule established by the center/program, for students to complete the evaluation surveys of the teaching staff's performance and the course evaluation

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title	Weighting	Hours	ECTS	Learning Outcomes
Quiz	60%	45	1.8	KA01, KA02, KA03, SA01, SA02, SA04
Short essay	40%	97	3.88	CA01, CA02, SA03, SA04

The evaluation will be continued and consists of two parts:

An exam at the end of each module (60%). This corresponds to 6 simple quizzes. Each quiz will consist of 10 to 15 questions related to the explanations given in each module and the two mandatory readings per module.
The writing of a final essay (40%) previously agreed upon with the course instructor. The evaluation of the essay consists of the following phases: a. A preliminary tutorial to discuss the essay proposal and establish a reading and work plan (2 points) b. A follow-up tutorial to resolve any doubts (2 points) c. Evaluation of the written essay (6 points).

Personalized tutorials will preferably be conducted via videoconference.
A rubric detailing the process and evaluation criteria for the essay will be posted on the Virtual Campus.

Plagiarism

In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant
variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given
a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place.
In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject,
the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

Use of AI

This subject allows the use of AI technologies exclusively for support tasks such as
[***bibliographic or content-based searches, text correction or translations, where applicable].
In the case of subjects in a Modern Languages degree, use of translation must be specifically
authorised by the teacher. Other specific situations may be contemplated, as deemed
appropriate by the teacher.
The student must clearly (i) identify which parts have been generated using AI technology; (ii)
specify the tools used; and (iii) include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the
process and final outcome of the activity.
Lack of transparency regarding the use of AI in the assessed activity will be considered academic
dishonesty; the corresponding grade may be lowered, or the work may even be awarded a zero.
In cases of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.

Bibliography

Brugère, F. (2011). L’Éthique du “Care”. París: PUF.

Butler, J. (2016). “Rethinking Vulnerability and Resistance”. En J. Butler, Z. Gambetti y L. Sabsay (eds.), Vulnerability in Resistance. Durham: Duke University Press, cap. 1.

Camps, V. (2021). Tiempo de cuidados. Otra forma de estar en el mundo. Barcelona: Arpa.

Foucault, M. (1999a)/[1982]. “La hermenéutica del sujeto”. En M. Foucualt, Estética, ética y hermenéutica (Obras esenciales, vol. III). Barcelona: Paidós, pp. 275-288.

Foucault, M. (1999b)/[1982]. “Las técnicas de sí”. En M. Foucualt, Estética, ética y hermenéutica (Obras esenciales, vol. III). Barcelona: Paidós, pp. 443-474. (El mismo texto está disponible en M. Foucault (1999). Las tecnologías del yo. Barcelona: Paidós).

Hadot, P. (2009). Filosofía como forma de vida. Madrid: Alpha Decay.

Held, V. (2006). The Ethics of Care. Personal, Political, and Global. New York: Oxford University Press.

Nussbaum, M. (2003)/[1994]. La terapia del deseo. Teoría y práctica en la ética helenística. Barcelona: Paidós, cap. 1 y 13.

Tronto, J. (2015). Who Cares? How to Reshape a Democratic Politics. Cornell: Cornell University Press.

Urban, P. y Ward, L. (2020). “Introducing the Context of a Moral and Political Theory of Care”. En P. Urban y L. Ward (eds.), Care Ethics, Democratic Citizenship, and the State. Suiza: Palmgrave Macmillan, pp. 1-28.

At the beginning of each module, a specific bibliographic selection for each topic will be provided, along with a series of audiovisual materials and a list of complementary readings.

Software

Having programs and devices that allow access to audiovisual content.

Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.