Caring Science With a Focus on Existential Issues in a Caring Context—A Research Area Inspired by Existential Philosophy

Abstract

This article examines and exemplifies how existential philosophy can provide deeper understanding of existential issues in a caring context. Existential philosophy, including lifeworld theory, is treated both as an epistemology for the development of research methods and inspiration for analysis and discussions in caring science research. The significance of the lifeworld is also highlighted as a guide to perform and enable caring and caring didactics, along with short descriptions where existential philosophy has previously influenced the development of caring science. The concept existential caring science is suggested as a research area for research on existential and meaning-oriented phenomena.