ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the mistaken view of the human being. The kind of human actor that would be driven by the right brain, instead of the left, needs a new distinction to avoid the trap of continuing to be treated as Homo economicus. Homo curitans, based on the Latin word, curito, to care or cherish, is presented. Authentic care rests on making empathetic connections and obtaining some sense of the “other.” The ubiquitous use of mobile devices inhibits empathy, and poses barriers to flourishing. The chapter concludes with the presentation of a taxonomy of domains of concern, that is, arenas of normal life that require attending to as the practical ground for flourishing. Departing from the scheme that was developed in Sustainability by Design, the four major categories are concerns about 1) oneself, 2) other human beings, 3) the non-human world, and 4) transcendence. The four domains circumscribe human activities. Flourishing requires that all be addressed, but not equally. The fourth class is particularly important because it can reinforce actors’ sense of being interconnected with the world.
