In what sense is trust basic for human (co-)existence, and in what sense can trust also show the limits of the social character of the self? How should the loss of trust figure in an account of trust? And how are freedom and transcendence implied in trust as relation, response, and openness? In addressing such questions, this book discusses how to understand trust, arguing for a multifaceted approach, which brings together perspectives from various philosophical traditions, from developmental psychology, sociology, ethics, and from theology. The authors of the essays collected here deal with the question of why and in what sense trust is basic for becoming oneself and for living together with others, with trust as a personal attitude, the connection between one's trust and the other's trustworthiness, and the relation between trust in the world and trust in persons. The authors investigate the distinction between trust and dis- or mistrust by describing the judgment inherent in these modes of orientation, and by comparing trust in humans with trust in God. Finally, the transformative potential inherent in trust is explored against the background of violations of trust. With contributions by:Gry Ardal, Ingolf U. Dalferth, Günter Figal, Arne Grøn, Lars Hertzberg, Karen Jones, Burkhard Liebsch, Anne Marie Pahuus, Philippe Rochat, Anthony J. Steinbock, Philipp Stoellger, Claudia Welz

Born 1952; Mag. Art. in Philosophy. Dr. theol.; Professor of Ethics and Philosophy of Religion, University of Copenhagen; since 2002 Professor at and Co-founder of Center for Subjectivity Research, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.