Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Article I: Subject and the realisation of ethical responsibility. The Idea of the Infinite in Levinas' Totality and Infinity. In Totality and Infinity Emmanuel Levinas writes about the categorical character of the ethical responsibility that the subject owes to the other. The confrontation with the suffering other puts the subject's natural self interest into question, and brings him to realise an ethical responsibility of which he cannot unburden himself. The question arises as to what in the constitution of the subject makes him susceptible to the realisation of ethical responsibility. This article illustrates that in order to accentuate ethical responsibility as strongly as he does, Levinas needs to take a quasi-metaphysical step. The "trace of the infinite" that "creation" has left on the finite subject, predisposes the subject to the appeal of the other. Levinas' use of words such as "God", "the Good", "creation" and "the Idea of Infinity" does not have a theological or a mystical underpinning. These metaphysical concepts are philosophical figures of speech that Levinas borrows from Plato and Descartes. Article II: Levinas and the question of socio-ethical responsibility in South Africa. The philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas contains far-reaching consequences for social ethics. This article gives an account of its significance for the South African situation. The lines that are taken up with regard to the question of guilt for the injustice in the South African social reality, are of two kinds. Either one is held guilty because of committing a gross human rights violation, or one is held guilty because of profiting from the apartheid system at the cost of others. Both these approaches depart from a concern with the historical processes that brought the injustices about. Levinas, however, offers an alternative approach. While he will more or less go along with the previous two approaches, he points to an ethical imperative with which the actual social reality confronts us. One can be held responsible, simply because one has always already done too little for those who are destitute. The ethical subject's pre-original openness to the appeal of others, makes him susceptible to the realisation of ethical responsibility. This is explained in a concise exegesis of Levinas' s work. The article concludes by considering the question of whether philosophers ought to give an account of the good social order, and whether they ought to tell us how it is to be reached. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Artikel I: Subjek en etiese verantwoordelikheidsbesef. Die Idee van die Oneindige in Levinas se Totality and Infinity. In Totality and Infinity skryf Emmanuel Levinas oor die kategoriese aard van die verantwoordelikheid wat die subjek aan die ander verskuldig is. Die subjek se natuurlike eie-belang word ter diskussie gestel deur die konfrontasie met die misdeelde ander. Dit bring die subjek tot die besef van 'n verantwoordelikheid wat hy nie kan ontloop nie. Die vraag kan gevra word na wat in die konstitusie in die subjek, die subjek vatbaar maak vir die verantwoordelikheidsbesef. Hierdie artikel voer aan dat Levinas - ten einde etiese verantwoordelikheid so nadruklik te aksentueer - nodig het om 'n kwasi-metafisiese stap te neem. Die "spoor van die oneindige" wat die "skepping" op die eindige subjek nagelaat het, maak die subjek ontvanklik vir die aanspraak van die ander. Levinas se gebruik van woorde soos "God", "die Goeie", "skepping" en "die Idee van die Oneindige" het nie 'n teologiese of 'n mistiese onderbou nie. Hierdie metafisiese begrippe is filosofiese spraakfigure wat Levinas aan die werk van Plato en Descartes ontleen. Artikel II: Levinas en die vraag na sosiaal-etiese verantwoordelikheid in Suid-Afrika. Die denke van Emmanuel Levinas hou verreikende implikasies in vir sosiale etiek. Hierdie artikel gee rekenskap van die betekenis daarvan vir die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie. Twee lyne van argumentasie word normaalweg opgeneem met betrekking tot die vraag omtrent skuld vir die ongeregtigheid in die Suid-Afrikaanse sosiale werklikheid. 'n Mens word skuldig gehou of omdat mens 'n growwe menseregte skending begaan het, Of omdat 'n mens uit die apartheidsisteem gewen het ten koste van andere. Albei hierdie benaderings het as eerste oorweging die historiese prosesse wat die ongeregtighede teweeg gebring het. Levinas bied egter die moontlikheid van 'n altematiewe benadering. Terwyl hy meerendeels sal saamstem met genoemde twee benaderings, wys hy op 'n etiese imperatief waarmee die sosiale werklikheid self ons konfronteer. "n Mens kan verantwoordelik gehou word, bloot omdat 'n mens altyd alreeds te min gedoen het vir diegene wat misdeeld is. Die subjek het 'n voor-oorspronklike openheid vir die aanspraak van andere. Die maak die subjek ontvanklik vir die etiese verantwoordelikheidsbesef. Die artikel sluit af met 'n bespreking van die vraag of filosowe konkrete rekenskap van die goeie sosiale orde behoort te gee en moet aandui hoe dit bereik behoort te word.

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / The aim of this thesis is to search for an "ethical" interpretation of equality. Although the current South African approach of "substantive" equality is better than mere "formal" equality, I fear that even substantive equality will again deny or reduce difference. An "ethical" interpretation of equality is a way of interpretation that radically acknowledges difference and otherness. I argue for an ethical interpretation of equality as an alternative to substantive and formal equality. The intersection between public space, equality and justice is essential to such an ethical interpretation. An ethical interpretation of equality requires that present South African visions of public space must be reconstructed and transformed continuously. This means that an ethical interpretation of equality rejects finality and closure in respect of public space. The visions of public space and perspectives of equality that I support are alert to difference and otherness. My understanding of justice is that it is never fully achieved in the present. Justice functions as a future orientated ideal. The "ethical" in an ethical interpretation of equality reflects an awareness of the limits of any present system to encompass equality and justice completely. Visions of public space, perspectives on equality and landscapes of justice (the features of the ethical intersection) form the main sections of the thesis. I discuss the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as a manifestation of the ethical intersection between public space, equality and justice. The TRC was an outstanding example of reconstruction and transformation of public space. It was a public space where each and every individual was treated equally while concrete contexts, specific circumstances and difference were taken into account. The TRC as event was inspired by the ideal of justice. The value of the TRC as a manifestation of the ethical intersection is the profound effect it may have on our interpretation of equality by demonstrating the limits of the substantive approach. / Die doel van hierdie proefskrif is om ondersoek in te stel na 'n "etiese" interpretasie van gelykheid. Alhoewel die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse benadering van "substantiewe" gelykheid beter is as blote formele gelykheid, vrees ek dat selfs substantiewe gelykheid weereens verskil sal ontken of gering skat. 'n "Etiese" interpretasie van gelykheid is 'n manier van interpretasie wat radikaal kennis neem van verskil en andersheid. Ek argumenteer vir 'n etiese interpretasie van gelykheid as 'n alternatief tot substantiewe en formele gelykheid. Die interseksie tuseen publieke spasie, gelykheid en geregtigheid is noodsaaklik vir so 'n etiese interpretasie. 'n Etiese interpretasie van gelykheid vereis dat huidige Suid-Afrikaanse visies van publieke spasie aanhoudend gerekonstrueer en getransformeer moet word. Dit beteken dat 'n etiese interpretasie van gelykheid finaliteit en geslotenheid met betrekking tot publieke spasie verwerp. Die visies van publieke spasie en perspektiewe op gelykheid wat ek ondersteun is gevoelig vir verskil en andersheid. Ek verstaan geregtigheid as nooit volkome bereikbaar in die teenswoordige nie. Geregtigheid tree op as 'n toekomsgerigte ideaal. Die "etiese" in 'n etiese interpretasie van gelykheid weerspieel 'n bewustheid van die onvermoe van enige teenswoordige sisteem om gelykheid en geregtigheid volledig te omvat. Visies van publieke spasie, perspektiewe op gelykheid en landskappe van geregtigheid (die eienskappe van die etiese interseksie) vorm die hoofafdelings van die proefskrif. Ek bespreek die Suid-Afrikaanse Waarheids-en Versoeningskommissie (WVK) as 'n manifestasie van die etiese interseksie tussen publieke spasie, gelykheid en geregtigheid. Die WVK was 'n uitstaande voorbeeld van die rekonstruksie en transformasie van publieke spasie. Dit was 'n publieke spasie waar elke individu gelyk behandel is terwyl konkrete kontekste, spesifieke omstandighede en verskil in ag geneem is. Die WVK as 'n gebeurtenis is ge'lnspireer deur die ideaal van geregtigheid. Die waarde van die WVK as 'n manifestasie van die etiese interseksie is die diepgaande effek wat dit op ons interpretasie van gelykheid kan he deur die beperkings van die teenswoordige substantiewe benadering uit te wys. / Constitutional, International and Indigenous Law / LL.D.

This thesis formulates and argues for a composite conceptual framework of ethics for strategic and sustainable corporate benevolence as a means of addressing HIV/AIDS in South Africa. The template consists of the following theoretical elements: modern virtue ethics, contemporary Western communitarian ethics, the African philosophy of Ubuntu and a feminist ethic of care. This template is applied to relevant pragmatic ends through the proposition that the King I I Report - as it explicitly advocates a universally communitarian and essentially African code of ethics for a business response to HIV/AIDS - offers a viable and valuable model to both understand and transcend the tensions between profits and caring in the post-apartheid era of the South African experience of the pandemic. Specific features of the thesis include contextual perspectives on the ethical variances of HIV/AIDS stigma and behaviour change, cached as the thought-form of " I and We" as opposed to "Us and Them", and the psycho-social linguistics of re-interpreting "the wounded other" as "the wounded us". This is drawn together conceptually in discussion around the individual in and of, rather than as opposed to, the community, stressing how the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic is compelling our society to integrate this reverence into our disposition and conduct. In the spirit of this Afro-European communitarian ethic, and to apply this postulated theory for a concrete social morality in the wake of HIV/AIDS, the thesis argues that there is an ethical role for businesses in restoring the balance between nurturing and selfinterest - an equilibrium that is essential for both human expression and human survival. This involves underscoring the elderly and young women, as well as children, who head households and care for orphans of AIDS in circumstances of great vulnerability, (particularly the nation-wide body of informally organised volunteer home-based caregivers), as target beneficiaries for a gravely urgent and massive empowerment effort by the business sector. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / The aim of this thesis is to search for an "ethical" interpretation of equality. Although the current South African approach of "substantive" equality is better than mere "formal" equality, I fear that even substantive equality will again deny or reduce difference. An "ethical" interpretation of equality is a way of interpretation that radically acknowledges difference and otherness. I argue for an ethical interpretation of equality as an alternative to substantive and formal equality. The intersection between public space, equality and justice is essential to such an ethical interpretation. An ethical interpretation of equality requires that present South African visions of public space must be reconstructed and transformed continuously. This means that an ethical interpretation of equality rejects finality and closure in respect of public space. The visions of public space and perspectives of equality that I support are alert to difference and otherness. My understanding of justice is that it is never fully achieved in the present. Justice functions as a future orientated ideal. The "ethical" in an ethical interpretation of equality reflects an awareness of the limits of any present system to encompass equality and justice completely. Visions of public space, perspectives on equality and landscapes of justice (the features of the ethical intersection) form the main sections of the thesis. I discuss the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as a manifestation of the ethical intersection between public space, equality and justice. The TRC was an outstanding example of reconstruction and transformation of public space. It was a public space where each and every individual was treated equally while concrete contexts, specific circumstances and difference were taken into account. The TRC as event was inspired by the ideal of justice. The value of the TRC as a manifestation of the ethical intersection is the profound effect it may have on our interpretation of equality by demonstrating the limits of the substantive approach. / Die doel van hierdie proefskrif is om ondersoek in te stel na 'n "etiese" interpretasie van gelykheid. Alhoewel die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse benadering van "substantiewe" gelykheid beter is as blote formele gelykheid, vrees ek dat selfs substantiewe gelykheid weereens verskil sal ontken of gering skat. 'n "Etiese" interpretasie van gelykheid is 'n manier van interpretasie wat radikaal kennis neem van verskil en andersheid. Ek argumenteer vir 'n etiese interpretasie van gelykheid as 'n alternatief tot substantiewe en formele gelykheid. Die interseksie tuseen publieke spasie, gelykheid en geregtigheid is noodsaaklik vir so 'n etiese interpretasie. 'n Etiese interpretasie van gelykheid vereis dat huidige Suid-Afrikaanse visies van publieke spasie aanhoudend gerekonstrueer en getransformeer moet word. Dit beteken dat 'n etiese interpretasie van gelykheid finaliteit en geslotenheid met betrekking tot publieke spasie verwerp. Die visies van publieke spasie en perspektiewe op gelykheid wat ek ondersteun is gevoelig vir verskil en andersheid. Ek verstaan geregtigheid as nooit volkome bereikbaar in die teenswoordige nie. Geregtigheid tree op as 'n toekomsgerigte ideaal. Die "etiese" in 'n etiese interpretasie van gelykheid weerspieel 'n bewustheid van die onvermoe van enige teenswoordige sisteem om gelykheid en geregtigheid volledig te omvat. Visies van publieke spasie, perspektiewe op gelykheid en landskappe van geregtigheid (die eienskappe van die etiese interseksie) vorm die hoofafdelings van die proefskrif. Ek bespreek die Suid-Afrikaanse Waarheids-en Versoeningskommissie (WVK) as 'n manifestasie van die etiese interseksie tussen publieke spasie, gelykheid en geregtigheid. Die WVK was 'n uitstaande voorbeeld van die rekonstruksie en transformasie van publieke spasie. Dit was 'n publieke spasie waar elke individu gelyk behandel is terwyl konkrete kontekste, spesifieke omstandighede en verskil in ag geneem is. Die WVK as 'n gebeurtenis is ge'lnspireer deur die ideaal van geregtigheid. Die waarde van die WVK as 'n manifestasie van die etiese interseksie is die diepgaande effek wat dit op ons interpretasie van gelykheid kan he deur die beperkings van die teenswoordige substantiewe benadering uit te wys. / Constitutional, International and Indigenous Law / LL.D.

This study takes the concept of ubuntu, which means humanness and applies it to healthcare issues in general, and women's health, in particular. Ubuntu is based on the reality of interdependence and relatedness. It is a philosophy or way of life that finds its roots and meaning in humanity. The values espoused in ubuntu emphasize caring, sharing, reciprocity, co-operation, compassion and empathy in recognition that for human beings to develop, flourish and reach their full potential, they need to conduct their relationships in a manner that promotes the well-being of others. The values championed in ubuntu are what inform and shape African cultural, social, political and ethical thought and action. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.