ABSTRACT
We are born into a world filled with others. From the moment of arrival, we are always already among. Our psyches, however, are slow to clue in. Compared to the young of other animals who share our planet, human babies are notoriously helpless, requiring years of parental investment to survive and flourish in their environment. We can do almost nothing for ourselves, and so our first awareness of others appears through the lens of their service to us. Warm, animated shapes, hopefully with soothing voices and a gentle touch, move about ministering to our needs (Nussbaum, 2010). As our minds develop, those shapes take on greater identity. But years go by before we are truly able to see them as creatures like ourselves – with depth and complexity, capable of experiencing joy and suffering, and deserving of respect and dignity and the right to pursue their own dreams and desires in ways not immediately related to our interests. It is a moral accomplishment to grow to see others as full beings in their own right (Nussbaum, 2010).
