Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Saturated fat and cardiovascular disease wikipedia , lookup
Remote ischemic conditioning wikipedia , lookup
Quantium Medical Cardiac Output wikipedia , lookup
Cardiac contractility modulation wikipedia , lookup
Coronary artery disease wikipedia , lookup
Heart failure wikipedia , lookup
Rheumatic fever wikipedia , lookup
Electrocardiography wikipedia , lookup
Myocardial infarction wikipedia , lookup
Dextro-Transposition of the great arteries wikipedia , lookup
Åbo Akademi University, Department of Caring Science KOSKINEN MONIKA: Keep Thy Heart. The Metaphor of the Heart in a Caring Science Context Master´s thesis, 77 pages, 2 appendices Supervisor: Docent Lisbet Lindholm May 2007 Key words: Heart, metaphor, Old Testament, Epione, phenomenological hermeneutics Caritas is the basic motive for caring. Caritas is to serve the other in love. The heart is often used as a metaphor to describe love. The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the heart as a metaphor in a caring science context. The basis of the study emanates from the eighth axiom in Eriksson’s caring theories: the human being lives in a reality which is characterized by mystery, infinity and eternity. The theoretical basis of the study presupposes that the metaphor of the heart is an important part of the caring tradition. The main question in the study is how the metaphor of the heart can be understood in caring science. Two partial studies have been done to gain understanding: one essence study using the wisdom literature of the Old Testament and one contextual study based on the nursing care journal Epione. The methodology of the study emanates from Ricoeur’s hermeneutical thinking. A phenomenological hermeneutical method is used to gain understanding of the metaphor of the heart. The result discloses a multidimensional and dynamic heart. The three dimensions emerging from the interpretation of the texts are the eternal heart, the intrinsic heart and the expressions of the heart. The eternal heart demonstrates an affinity to the universal and the eternal. God’s unconditional love for humankind is the basis of caring. To recognize this love gives a calling to respond to love’s invitation to do good to others. The intrinsic heart is the dwelling place of the soul. Communion with our fellow-beings and with God takes place in the heart. Man is also alone in his heart; there is a loneliness that cannot be shared with others. The mystery of sacrifice is found in the heart. To give of yourself is to gain yourself. This contains the ethos, a reverence for the holiness and dignity of the human being. The heart is a dynamical place where good and evil exist. The human being’s struggle is to keep the heart soft and vulnerable and so make room for the good in the heart. What is in the heart is reflected in attitude, words and actions. The eye that sees the suffering human being reflects the contents of the heart. To see is to perceive the other human being’s suffering and respond to it. Acts of mercy are expressions of the good heart originating in undeserved love.