Social sensitivity and the ethics of attention

Abstract

Social sensitivity is a crucial aspect of interpersonal relationships, as it is intrinsic to the understanding of other selves as subjects situated in a social world. In revitalizing such a concept in the philosophical literature, this article examines the relation between habit, attention, and critical self-awareness that lies at the core of social sensitivity. On the one hand, I reconsider the so-called “passivity” of habit and tackle the role of attention as the power of varying point of view. On the other hand, I contrast Husserl's view of attentiveness with Murdoch's account of loving attention, arguing that social sensitivity centers on a type of striving that is closer to Husserl's methodology than Murdoch's approach to moral perfectionism.