On vulnerabilities and the moral dimension

a brief roadmap

Abstract

The article offers a conceptual and normative overview of the notion of vulnerability, identifying it as a central category in contemporary debates in morality, politics, law, bioethics, and digital technologies. It first examines the distinction between ontological and relational vulnerability on the basis of the taxonomy proposed by Catriona Mackenzie et al (2013b). It then discusses the relationship between vulnerability and key issues in practical philosophy through the analysis of three contexts: the pandemic, bioethics, and the digital era. The article concludes by arguing that vulnerability, far from being a peripheral trait or one restricted to “special groups,” constitutes an indispensable starting point for rethinking fundamental normative categories and for guiding institutional responses that are more attuned to the concrete living conditions of individuals.