The thesis is based on the assumption that reasoning functions in its context. The locus of this context is the subject-in-act. The subject-in-act observes, wonders, asks questions, judges and makes justifications. In the functioning of reasoning, she uses the basic set of these cognitional operations rather than pure logical form or the empirical content alone to reach conclusions. Our contention is that logic cannot function on its own without the subject-in-act. Hitherto, efforts have been made to show that any knowledge system is based on either purely axiomatic and mathematical formulations or deductive tautologies and inductive reasoning or empirical convictions based on probability. The thesis attempts to argue that reasoning is not possible without the interventions of the set of cognitional operations. In the thesis we take as an example the early Wittgenstein's attempt to give a foundation for our knowing or the identity of what can be known, using atomic or elementary propositions. Wittgenstein' s own later repudiation of this introduces the idea that logic, and language are relative to social context. In Wittgenstein's second phase, we focus on the analysis of understanding in terms of "following a rule." This idea is later taken up by Winch in relation to his point of inter-cultural learning but he does not give us the method of how to achieve that learning. Lonergan introduces the idea of "self-appropriation" which we interpret by the idea of the "subject-in-act." It is this subject-in-act that forms a foundation for all possible understanding, explaining and knowing. Barden picks up from Winch and addresses precisely the issue of traditions and cultural differences. We want to argue that traditions and context are important in a sense that they serve as a starting point in our search for knowledge but in themselves, are not ultimately foundational. What is ultimately foundational is not a set of propositions, or rules to be followed, or social practice, but the subject-in-act. / Thesis (Ph.D)-University of Durban-Westville, 2004.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The distinction between treatment and enhancement is often considered to be a morally significant boundary, which, at the very least, marks the limits of our moral obligations. This conviction holds despite the fact that treatment and enhancement are situated along a continuum of interventions that are directed towards the improvement of human functioning. The distinction between these two sorts of interventions is based upon a notion of normative normality, which suggests that we are morally obligated to provide interventions which are directed toward the achievement of normal functioning, but that no obligation exists to improve functioning beyond this point. This dissertation will subject this position to critique by examining the constitution of normal functioning, and by suggesting that this kind of functioning cannot operate as a normative standard which determines the limits of our moral obligations. The moral desirability which we attribute to the achievement of normal functioning is based upon the independent ethical imperative to promote the possibilities for well-being of moral agents. This motivation, however, equally suggests that we will be obligated to provide certain kinds of enhancement interventions which will be likely to promote the welfare interests of moral agents, when these become available. This argument also implies that the development of enhancement technologies will require us to rethink our ethical conception of harmful non-benefits. We currently think of the non-provision of medical treatment and some environmental enhancements, such as education, as harmful to the extent that state intervention is justified to rectify this. We recognise that such non-provision, and the resultant failure to promote the welfare interests of moral agents, where such promotion is possible, harms persons by putting them in a worse position than they could have been in, with regards to their chances of leading a good life. The new technological possibilities offered by the prospect of genetic enhancement mean that we might soon have a better alternative, in terms of our chances of leading a good life, to the level of functioning that we have thus far been able to achieve. This implies that the non-provision of these enhancements would be harmful to the extent that intervention to bring about this provision would be justified. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die onderskeid tussen behandeling (“treatment”) en verbetering (“enhancement”) word dikwels geag 'n skeiding daar te stel wat van morele belang is, in soverre dit ten minste, die perke van ons morele verpligtinge afbaken. Hierdie oortuiging geld ten spyte van die feit dat behandeling en verbetering op „n kontinuum van ingrype wat op die verbetering van menslike funksionering gerig is, geleë is. Die onderskeid tussen hierdie twee tipes ingrype is gebaseer op 'n bepaalde begrip van normatiewe normaliteit, wat suggereer dat ons moreel verplig is om ingrype te voorsien wat daarop gerig is om normale funksionering te bewerkstellig, maar dat geen sodanige verpligting bestaan om funksionering duskant hierdie punt te verbeter nie. Hierdie proefskrif sal laasgenoemde posisie aan kritiek onderwerp deur die manier waarop ons normale funksionering verstaan, te ondersoek, en deur aan die hand te doen dat hierdie tipe funksionering nie as normatiewe standaard wat die perke van ons morele verpligtinge bepaal, kan dien nie. Die morele gewenstheid wat ons toeskryf daaraan om normale funksionering mee te bring, is op die onafhanklike etiese imperatief om die moontlikhede vir welstand van morele agente te bevorder, gebaseer. Hierdie motivering doen egter eweseer aan die hand dat ons verplig sal wees om sekere tipes verbeteringsingrype te verskaf wat waarskynlik die welsynbelange van morele agente sal bevorder, wanneer sulke verbeteringsingrype beskikbaar word. Hierdie argument impliseer ook dat die ontwikkeling van verbeteringstegnologieë van ons sal vereis om ons etiese konsepsie van skadelike nie-voordele opnuut te deurdink. Tans dink ons dat die nie-voorsiening van mediese behandeling, sowel as sommige omgewingsverbeterings soos opvoeding, tot so „n mate skadelik is dat staatsinmenging met die doel om dit reg te stel, geregverdig is. Ons erken dat sulke nie-voorsiening en die gevolglike versuim om die welsynsbelange van morele agente te bevorder, waar sulke bevordering moontlik is, mense skade berokken deur hulle in „n slegter posisie te plaas as waarin hul kon gewees het, ten aansien van hul kanse om 'n goeie lewe te leef. Die nuwe tegnologiese moontlikhede wat die voortuitsig van genetiese verbetering ons bied, beteken dat ons binnekort 'n beter alternatief mag hê vir die vlak van funksionering wat ons tot dusver kon bewerkstellig, ooreenkomstig ons kanse om 'n goeie lewe te leef. Dit impliseer dat die nie-voorsiening van hierdie verbeterings skadelik sal wees tot die mate wat ingrype om hierdie voorsiening teweeg te bring, geregverdig sal wees.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Multicultural conflicts pervade our world and have sparked considerable debate about their possible resolution. We argue that how culture is conceptualized is crucial to the continued dialogue about multicultural conflicts. Specifically, we argue that approaches that argue for the protection of cultures run into significant problems if they do not employ a conception of cultures as delineated entities. However, we also hold that the notion that cultures cannot be distinct in any way, does very little to contribute to dialogue. From the very beginning, it excludes the notion of a culture that is to be protected and thus stops the dialogue there and then. To be true to the principle of audi ad alteram partem, approaches to multicultural conflicts must conceive of an alternative model, provided that such a model is logically possible. This may provide the dialogue with a much needed point of common understanding from which to proceed. Accordingly, we develop a model of culture whereby it is possible to delineate cultures. In this model, a culture can be delineable in a manner analogous to how we delineate persons. Our model of personal delineation suggests a dual structure whereby a trivial personal boundary contains a unity of conflict within the person. In persons, this unity of conflict lies in the relationship between the “I” and repressed meanings. This relationship must be characterised by self-referential decisions and the capacity to make self-referential decisions is central to our definition of personal autonomy. In cultures, we argue that multicultural conflicts provide the necessary conditions that enable us to conceptualize trivial boundaries in cultures in terms of the communicative relationships between members of a particular culture. Multicultural conflicts prompt self-categorizations by individuals and such self-categorizations are made in terms of group membership. Though all members may not agree as to who belongs to the culture and who does not, the claims made about membership serve to differentiate the communicative relationships inside the culture from those outside it. Furthermore, we show that, inside this trivial boundary, a unity of conflict analogous to the one found in personal autonomy, can be exhibited by cultures. We show how a culture, through its institutions, particularly through an institutionalised exit possibility, 1) may exhibit self-reference and 2) relate to a source of authority in the same way as a person does when making selfreferential decisions. In this regard, we argue that institutionalised exit possibilities embody adherence to the consensus vs. power criterion, according to which the dominant account of a culture is achieved through consensus, as opposed to through the exertion of power. Furthermore, we argue that with a strong analogy between cultures’ and personal delineation, it becomes reasonable to extend concepts we usually apply to persons, such as fairness, attachment and viability, so that they can also apply to cultures. We show that the application of these concepts clarifies certain current multicultural issues. The application of theses concepts also leads to the development of a decision making process to deal with multicultural issues. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Multikulturele konflikte kom wêreldwyd voor en het reeds aansienlike debat oor die resolusie van sodanige konflik ontlok. Ons voer aan dat hoe kultuur gekonseptualiseer word, besonder belangrik is vir die voorgesette dialoog oor multikulturele konflikte. Meer spesifiek voer ons aan dat benaderings wat vir die beskerming van kulture argumenteer, beduidende probleme ondervind indien dit nie `n konsepsie van kulture as delinieerbare entiteite gebruik nie. Die gedagte dat kulture nie op enige manier afgebaken kan word nie, dra egter ook weinig by tot dialoog. Dit sluit van meet af die gedagte dat kulture beskerm moet word, uit en staak dus die dialoog daar en dan. Ten einde getrou te wees aan die beginsel van audi ad alteram partem, moet benaderings tot multikulturele konflik `n alternatiewe model van kultuur bedink, mits so `n model logies moontlik is. So `n model kan die dialoog van `n broodnodige gemeenskaplike uitgangspunt voorsien. Ons ontwikkel dienooreenkomstig `n model van kultuur waarvolgens dit moontlik is om kulture te delinieer. Volgens hierdie model kan `n kultuur delinieer word in analogie met hoe persone delinieer word. Ons model van persoonlike deliniëring stel `n tweeledige struktuur voor, waarvolgens `n triviale persoonlike grens `n eenheid van konflik binne die persoon omspan. In persone lê hierdie eenheid van konflik in die verhouding tussen die “ek” en onderdrukte betekenisse. Hierdie verhouding moet deur self-referensiële besluite gekenmerk word. Die vermoë tot self-referensiële besluite, so voer ons aan, is ook die sentrale kenmerk van persoonlike outonomie. Ons voer aan dat multikulturele konflikte die noodsaaklike toestande skep wat ons in staat stel om triviale grense in kulture te definieer in terme van die kommunikatiewe verhoudings tussen lede van `n spesifieke kultuur. Multikulturele konflikte ontlok self-kategorisering deur individue en sodanige kategorisering word in terme van groeplidmaatskap gedoen. Hoewel alle lede van die kultuur nie noodwendig saamstem oor wie aan die kultuur behoort en wie nie, maak die bewerings wat oor lidmaatskap gemaak word dit moontlik om die kommunikatiewe verhoudings binne die kultuur te onderskei van dié buite die kultuur. Verder demonstreer ons dat, binne hierdie triviale grens, kulture `n eenheid van konflik ten toon kan stel wat soortgelyk aan die eenheid van konflik by persoonlike outonomie is. Ons wys hoe `n kultuur, deur sy instellings, en vernaam deur `n geïnstitusionaliseerde uitgangsmoontlikheid (‘exit possibility’) 1) self-referensie ten toon kan stel en 2) in verhouding met `n bron van gesag kan staan soos `n persoon wanneer s/hy self-referensiële besluite maak. In dié verband voer ons aan dat geïnstitusionaliseerde uitgangsmoontlikhede die beliggaming is van die nakoming van die konsensus vs. mag-kriterium, waarvolgens die dominante weergawe van `n kultuur bereik word deur konsensus, teenoor deur die uitoefen van mag. Verder voer ons aan dat `n sterk analogie tussen kulture en persone se deliniëring dit moontlik maak om begrippe soos regverdigheid, binding en lewensvatbaarheid, wat gewoonlik op persone toegepas word, op kulture toe te pas. Die toepassing van hierdie begrippe verbeter ons begrip van sekere huidige multikulturele kwessies en lei ook tot die ontwikkeling van `n besluitnemingsproses vir multikulturele kwessies.

Thesis (MA (Philosophy))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / The Philosophy of Poverty and the Ethics of Ubuntu The question posed in this article is if and how the ethics of ubuntu could play a role in poverty eradication in a capitalist economic system. I address this question by investigating a specific poverty eradication project proposal called Pela Nambu, aimed at utilising the principle of participation that exists in the “second economy”, combined with the instruments of wealth creation of the “first economy”. After describing and expanding the Pela Nambu approach, I interrogate some of its main assumptions, and find that the ethics of ubuntu does not really have a chance to be mainstreamed as the philosophy of poverty has to reckon with the fact that the multinational corporation is the dominant institution of our time. For Pela Nambu to succeed, “first economy” participation will need to be in the form of partnerships and not charity. The present Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility performance of companies is not encouraging. Yet, the new Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment codes and the increased marketability of differentiated products does offer an opportunity that initiatives like Pela Nambu could fruitfully explore. From hauntology to a new animism? Nature and culture in Heinz Kimmerle’s intercultural philosophy Derrida has proposed a new spectrology in an attempt to deal with the ghost of Marx. Kimmerle shows that Marx has forgotten nature, and enquires about Derrida’s forgetting Marx’s forgetting. With specific reference to African culture he asks whether a new animism should not be explored within the framework of a new spectrology. Derrida uses the concept animism, but not in terms of the being of things in and of themselves, which could positively be thought as animated. Kimmerle proposes a way in which Western philosophy could be opened to African philosophy in order to understand the problem of animated nature more adequately. African philosophy has a concept of the universe of spiritual forces, in which nature and its powers are completely integrated. This paper explores these issues in dialogue with a number of African philosophers, while linking them to certain contestations within environmental philosophy and ethics, especially Murray Bookchin’s critique of spirit-talk in Deep Ecology. Kimmerle’s work on the relationship between Africa and Hegel sets the scene for an elaboration of his re-evaluation of animism which is compared to the ground-breaking hypothesis of Bird-David. A relational epistemology is understood in ethical terms, and it is implied that such an epistemology would be more adequate for a new humanism that would be new in going beyond the western tradition, and in the process gain a more inclusive concept of ‘person’ and ‘community’. The community and the individual in Western and African thought: Implications for knowledge production The tension between the group and the individual is a pervasive condition of humanity that is resolved differently in Western and African knowledge systems. The polarity of “I think therefore I am” versus “I am because we are” does not do justice to the role of the individual in African knowledge systems, and recent attempts in Western philosophy to ormulate a “philosophy of we”. A contextual philosophy of knowledge production is concerned about the we as the carrier of traditions. It is a philosophy of the in-between cultures and knowledge systems that is engaged in dialogues aimed at the formulation of universals. Intercultural (or contextual) philosophy becomes the ‘contemporary idiom’ within which to express ‘the cluster of humanist principles which underlie the traditional African society’ (Nkrumah).

Thesis (MA (Philosophy))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis consists of two essays, each focussing on a current topic in aesthetics in the tradition of analytic philosophy. First paper (On depiction) Given broad consensus that resemblance theories do not do well at explaining depiction, two alternative approaches have dominated the literature in recent decades: (1) Perceptual accounts try to ground depiction in the phenomenology of our pictorial experiences; (2) Structural accounts understand pictures as symbols in pictorial symbol systems. I follow Dominic Lopes in granting that the two approaches, often interpreted as each other’s rivals, both have merit and are successful in answering divergent questions about depiction. After taking stock of the most influential theories from both approaches, I turn to John Kulvicki’s recent work. He has made surprising progress as a proponent of the structural approach. His attempt to define depiction in structural terms is groundbreaking and, for the most part, successful. The paper measures some of his suggestions on picture structure and perception against the well-established “twofoldness”-thesis of the perceptual theorist on depiction, Richard Wollheim. Wollheim’s theory is defended and suggestions made to adapt Kulvicki’s theory accordingly. Second paper (On expression) Since Frank Sibley’s early papers in the mid-twentieth century, analytic aesthetics has broadened its field of inquiry to extend past the traditional focus on judgements of beauty or aesthetic merit, to peripheral terms, concepts, properties and judgements (e.g. of grace, elegance, garishness, daintiness, dumpiness, etc.). Nick Zangwill gives a traditionalist report of what binds the new, broad and heterogeneous category of the aesthetic together. He argues that purely evaluative aesthetic judgements of beauty or ugliness (i.e. “verdicts”) are fundamental. All other aesthetic judgements derive their evaluative aesthetic nature from them. In this essay it is argued that Zangwill’s defence of beauty’s supremacy in the category of the aesthetic, does not do justice to ostensible instances of non-evaluative judgements that ascribe expressive properties to artworks. Nelson Goodman’s cognitivist theory of expression in art is used as a foil for Zangwill’s claims. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis bestaan uit twee essays, elk oor ’n aktuele onderwerp in estetika in die tradisie van die analitiese filosofie. Eerste essay (Oor uitbeelding, oftewel “piktoriale representasie”) Gegewe ’n algemene konsensus dat ooreenkoms-teorieë nie slaag daarin om uitbeelding (“depiction”) te verklaar nie, is daar twee alternatiewe benaderings wat die onlangse literatuur oor die onderwerp oorheers: (1) die perseptuele benadering probeer uitbeelding begrond in die fenomenologie van ons piktoriale ervaringe; (2) die strukturele benadering verstaan beelde as simbole in piktoriale simboolsisteme. In navolging van Dominic Lopes neem ek aan dat dié twee benaderings, wat normaalweg as mekaar se opponente beskou word, altwee meriete dra en onderskeidelik sukses behaal in die beantwoording van heel uiteenlopende vrae oor die aard van uitbeelding. Na ’n bestekopname van die mees invloedryke teorieë onder beide benaderings, word John Kulvicki se onlangse werk oorweeg. Hy maak verrassende vooruitgang as ondersteuner van die strukturele benadering. Sy poging om uitbeelding in strukturele terme te definiëer is revolusionêr en bied stof vir nadenke. In hierdie essay word sommige van sy voorstelle oor beeld-struktuur en -waarneming gemeet aan die gevestigde “twofoldness”-tesis van Richard Wollheim. Wollheim se perseptuele teorie word verdedig en ’n voorstelle word gemaak om Kulvicki se teorie daarvolgens aan te pas. Tweede essay (Oor uitdrukking) Sedert Frank Sibley se vroeë essays in die middel van die twintigste eeu het die analitiese estetika sy visier verbreed om verby die tradisionele fokus op oordele van skoonheid en estetiese waarde te kyk, na perifere terme, begrippe, eienskappe en oordele (van bv. grasie, delikaatheid, balans, strakheid, elegansie, ens., ens.). Nick Zangwill gee ’n tradisionalistiese verslag van wat die nuwe, breë en heterogene kategorie van die estetiese saambind. Hy argumenteer dat suiwer evaluerende oordele van skoonheid fundamenteel bly. Alle ander estetiese oordele se estetiese aard word daarvan afgelei. In hierdie essay argumenteer ek dat Zangwill se verdediging van skoonheid (of estetiese waarde) as fundamenteel tot die kategorie van die estetiese, nie laat reg geskied aan aantoonbare gevalle van nie-evaluerende oordele, naamlik dié wat ekspressiewe eienskappe aan kunswerke toeskryf, nie. Nelson Goodman se kognitiewe teorie van van uitdrukking in kuns word gebruik as teenhanger en wegspringplek vir kritiek op Zangwill se aansprake.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One school of thought on leadership propounds the idea that the individual leader is the source of leadership through personal dominance and intellectual influence. However, organisations are operating in an ever-changing environment and leaders face increasingly complex challenges. Drath proposes that there should be a rethinking of leadership and suggests that broader social meaning-making processes of accomplishing leadership tasks are required, and that good leaders are the end product of good processes of leadership. This research is an assessment of the leadership criteria used by an Executive Placement Company in the selection of senior leaders in organisations, and whether Drath’s theory on organisational leadership, or something approaching this, is present in practice. Following from that, Drath’s theory is evaluated as an alternative means of approaching current leadership issues. The study will attempt to give a better understanding of the criteria that could be applied in placing leaders in organisations, in order to meet the complex challenges faced by leaders in organisations. A qualitative research method with limited triangulation was used. This involved a case study of an Executive Placement Company in Johannesburg. Data collection was in the form of semistructured interviews and the completion of a questionnaire by the five senior employees of the Executive Placement Company involved in the placement of senior leaders. The questionnaire contained open and closed ended questions. A quantitative method was applied as questionnaires were completed by five employees, as well as a qualitative method, which involved conducting semi-structured interviews with five employees. However, as a limited number of questionnaires were used, the research is predominantly qualitative research. The criteria used by the Executive Placement Company, as well as changes in organisational leadership criteria and organisational leadership factors, were identified. Key criteria include the culture, management style and dynamics of the organisations in which the leaders are to be placed. The personal attributes of the leader, such as experience, technical skills and, in particular, behavioural competencies are also important. It is suggested that there have been changes in the criteria used for placement, with organisations appearing to prefer more empowering, participating, engaged, connected and relationship focused leaders. There also seems to be a move away from an autocratic style of leadership towards one that is more holistic and integrated. Various elements of Drath’s theory are present in practice and it is thus suggested that this theory provides an alternative perspective with which to approach leadership issues. The value of the present research is that it gives an indication of actual leadership processes and the criteria that are and should be applied in the placement of leaders in organisations. This research also indicates that difficulties exist in leadership processes due to the application of affirmative action policies in the placement of leaders in organisations. Further research is required in regard to the effect of affirmative action policies in the placement of leaders in organisations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ‘n Belangrike en invloedryke skool van denke oor leierskap voer aan dat die individuele leier, deur persoonlike dominansie en intellektuele invloed, die bron van leierskap is. Organisasies bevind hulself egter in omgewings wat voortdurend aan die verander is en hierdeur staar leiers toenemend komplekse uitdagings in die gesig. Gevolglik voer Drath aan dat leierskap herdink moet word en stel voor dat breër sosiale betekenisprosesse, wat ten doel het om leierskapstake te vorm, benodig word en dat goeie leiers dus die eindprodukte van goeie leierskapsprosesse is. Hierdie navorsing behels eerstens ’n assessering van leierskapskriteria, soos aangewend deur die Executive Placement Company in die seleksie van seniorleiers in organisasies en daarmee saam die vraag of Drath se teorie oor organisatoriese leierskap (of iets soortgelyk aan sy teorie) in praktyk voorkom. Tweedens, ondersoek dit die vraag of Drath se teorie ’n alternatiewe manier bied om huidige leierskapskwessies te benader. Dié studie het ten doel om ’n beter verstandhouding daar te stel van die kriteria wat gebruik kan word om leiers in organisasies te plaas ten einde die komplekse uitdagings, wat deur leiers in organisasies ervaar word, die hoof te bied. ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode met beperkte triangulering is gebruik. Dit sluit in ’n gevallestudie op ’n Executive Placement Company in Johannesburg. Dataversameling het die vorm aangeneem van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude en die voltooiing van ’n vraelys deur vyf senior werknemers van die Executive Placement Company, betrokke by die plasing van senior leiers. Die vraelys bevat beide oop- en geslote vrae. Kwantitatiewe- (in die vorm van vraelyste voltooi) en kwalitatiewe metodes (in die vorm van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gevoer) is gebruik. Aangesien slegs ’n beperkte getal vraelyste gebruik kon word, is die navorsing hoofsaaklik kwalitatief van aard. Kriteria deur die Executive Placement Company gebruik, sowel as veranderinge in organisatoriese leierskapskriteria en –leierskapsfaktore, is geïdentifiseer. Sleutelkriteria sluit in die kultuur, bestuurstyl en dinamika van die organisasie waar leiers geplaas word. Die persoonlike eienskappe van die leier, soos ervaring, tegniese vaardighede en veral gedragsbevoegdhede, is ook as belangrik geag. Daar word voorgestel dat daar veranderinge aangebring word ten opsige van die kriteria gebruik vir plasing; organisasies toon ’n voorkeur vir leiers wat meer gefokus is op bemagtiging, deelneming, betrokkenheid, verbondenheid en verhoudings. Dit wil verder voorkom of daar wegbeweeg word van ’n outokratiese styl van leierskap na een wat meer holisties en geïntegreerd is. Verskeie elemente van Drath se teorie is teenwoordig en daarom word daar voorgestel dat hierdie teorie ’n alternatiewe perspektief bied om leierskapskwessies te benader. Die waarde van die navorsing lê daarin dat dit ’n indikasie gee van die werklike leierskapprosesse wat gebruik word. Die navorsing dui verder daarop dat daar probleme bestaan in leierskapsprosesse, teweeggebring deur die toepassing van regstellende aksie beleid in die plasing van leiers in organisasies. Toekomstige navorsing word benodig om die invloed van regstellende aksie op leierskaps prosesse in organisasies te bepaal.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This paper proposes a possible solution to the current state of education in South African public schools, notably the underperforming schools. It uses various international studies, namely the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), the 2003 Third International Maths and Science Study (TIMMS), the Southern and Eastern African Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ), as well as the matriculation results to explore the reality of the education crisis as a poverty trap. I then explore possible reasons for the failure of the basic education system by means of the ‘Four As’ of the International Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural rights as a starting point to measure basic education. The ‘Four As’ (Woolman and Bishop, 2012:57-19 to 57-32) are Availability/Adequacy, Accessibility, Acceptability and Adaptability. I propose identity formation within a framework of complexity thinking as an approach to the problems in the underperforming system, especially the problems arising from education not meeting the criteria of the ‘Four As’, and in particular because education is a determining factor in social justice. Complexity thinking is inseparable from the ethics of complexity, just as identity formation cannot be separated from the ethics and politics of identity. Finally, the insights are applied to the purpose of teaching and learning, in terms of complexity thinking and identity formation, and in terms of the National Development Plan. The latter is the policy document shaping the future of teaching and learning, amongst others, in South Africa. This is followed by an assessment of the National Development Plan in the light of the requirements of the ‘Four As’. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie skryfstuk stel ‘n moontlike oplossing voor vir die huidige stand van onderwys in Suid-Afrikaanse publieke skole, veral die onderpresterende skole. Dit gebruik verskeie internasionale studies, naamlik die ‘Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS)’, die ‘2003 Third International Maths and Science Study (TIMMS)’, die ‘Southern and Eastern African Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ)’, asook die matriekuitslae, om die realiteit van onderwys as ‘n put van armoede te ondersoek. Voorts ondersoek ek moontlike redes vir die mislukking van die basiese onderwyssisteem. Dit word gedoen aan die hand van die sogenaamde ‘Four As’ van die Internasionale Komitee vir Ekonomiese, Sosiale en Kulturele regte. Die ‘Four As’, soos vervat deur Woolman en Bishop (2012:57-19 tot 57-32) is, in Engels: 'Availability /Adequacy, Accessibility, Acceptability’ en ‘Adaptability’. Dit kan vertaal word as Beskikbaarheid/Voldoendenheid, Toeganklikheid, Aanvaarbaarheid en Aanpasbaarheid. Ek stel identiteitsvorming binne ‘n raamwerk van kompleksiteitsdenke voor as ‘n benadering tot die probleme in die onderpresterende onderwyssisteem, veral die probleme wat voortspruit uit onderwys wat nie aan die kriteria van die ‘Four As’ voldoen nie. Dit word gedoen omdat onderwys by uitstek ‘n bepalende faktor in sosiale geregtigheid is. Kompleksiteitsdenke is onafskeidbaar van die etiek van kompleksiteit, net soos identiteitsvorming onlosmaaklik deel is van die etiek en politiek van identiteit. Laastens, word die insigte toegepas op die doel van onderrig en leer, in terme van kompleksiteitsdenke en identiteitsvorming, en in terme van die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan. Laasgenoemde is ‘n beleidsdokument wat rigting tot 2030 verleen aan, onder andere, onderrig en leer, in Suid-Afrika. Dit word gevolg deur ‘n evaluering van die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan aan die hand van die vereistes van die ‘Four As’.

Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The use of psychiatric medication is an important part of modern medical and psychiatric practice. Clinical psychopharmacology raises a broad range of philosophical issues, including metaphysical, epistemological, and moral questions. This dissertation attempts to provide a conceptual framework for addressing several of these questions, and for formulating a conceptual basis for psychiatry in general and clinical psychopharmacology in particular. The dissertation begins by heuristically contrasting two broad approaches towards a range of questions in the philosophy of science, language, and medicine. A classical position takes an essentialist and objective view of categories while a critical position emphasizes that categories are often metaphoric and subjective. A synthetic or integrated position might be possible, in which radial categories are often based on metaphoric extensions of basic-level sensorimotor-affective experience, and are embodied in the brain-mind and in social practices. Rather than attempt to defend an integrated position in purely conceptual terms, the dissertation supports this view of categories using data from the cognitive-affective sciences. An important category for philosophy of medicine is disorder, and the dissertation argues that certain universal considerations explain agreement about prototypical disorders. Extensions of disorder metaphors are theory-driven and valueladen, and although disagreement about atypical conditions is likely, reasonable debate is possible. The dissertation then considers several conceptual questions, namely the nature of psychotropics, of emotion, and of the self. In each case, a classical position which attempts an essentialist definition is contrasted with a critical position which emphasizes that these constructs are socially constructed and crucially subjective. Cognitiveaffective data is then employed to support an integrative position which emphasizes the embodiment of complex brain-mind phenomena in the brain-mind and in social practices. Explanatory questions considered are how best to explain pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, how to account for placebo responses, and the relevance of evolutionary explanations of disorder. It is argued that a functionalist account fails to explain psychopharmacological phenomena, including pharmacotherapy and placebo effects. Instead, an account which emphasizes how psychobiological mechanisms produce complex brain-mind phenomena is needed. Evolutionary explanations add to this account, but cannot by themselves differentiate disorder from non-disorder. Ethical questions include the question of whether psychiatric disorders should be treated, whether such disorders should be treated with psychotropics, and whether psychotropics should be used to enhance. The cognitive-affective sciences support the treatment of typical disorders. In more atypical cases, pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and non-medical interventions should be considered on an individual basis. As technologies expand, considerations about the value of accepting fate versus the value of attempting to improve life by a range of methods, will need to be weighed carefully. In summary, this dissertation puts forward a philosophy of psychopharmacology which argues that psychiatry practice can be viewed, naturalistically, as based on the natural and human sciences. At the same time, good psychiatric practice involves an engagement with the complex realities of the human condition, including a consideration of individuals’ suffering. Good psychopharmacological practice requires integrating the objective and the subjective, considering both explanation and understanding, and providing a balanced view of the good and bad of psychotropics that avoids both unrealistic optimism and undue pessimism. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gebruik van psigiatriese medikasie maak belangrike deel uit van moderne mediese en psigiatriese praktyk. Psigofarmakologie bring wye reeks filosofiese kwessies ter sprake, met inbegrip van metafisiese, epistemologiese, en morele vrae. Hierdie proefskrif poog om konseptuele raamwerk te verskaf ten einde verskeie van hierdie vrae die hoof te bied, en na die formulering van konseptuele basis vir psigiatrie in die algemeen en kliniese psigofarmakologie in die besonder om te sien. Die proefskrif begin deur twee algemene benaderings ten opsigte van reeks vrae in die filosofie van wetenskap, taal en geneeskunde te kontrasteer. Klassieke posisie huldig essensialistiese en objektiewe siening van kategorieë, terwyl kritiese posisie klem daarop lê dat kategorieë dikwels metafories en subjektief is. Sintetiese of geïntegreerde posisie is dalk moontlik, met radiale kategorieë wat dikwels op metaforiese uitbreidings van konsepte op basiese vlak sensorimotor-affektiewe ervaring gebaseer word, en in die bewussyn-brein en in sosiale gebruike vergestalt word. Eerder as om te probeer om geïntegreerde posisie in suiwer konseptuele terme te verdedig, steun die proefskrif hierdie siening van kategorieë met behulp van data uit die kognitiewe-affektiewe wetenskappe. Belangrike kategorie vir die filosofie van geneeskunde is steuring, en die proefskrif voer aan dat sekere universele oorwegings ’n verklaring bied vir ooreenstemming ten opsigte van prototipiese steurings. Uitbreidings van die steuring metafoor is teoriegedrewe en waardebelaai, en alhoewel daar waarskynlik meningsverskil omtrent atipiese toestande kan voorkom, is redelike bespreking haalbaar. Die proefskrif neem dan verskeie konseptuele vrae in aanmerking, naamlik die aard van psigotropika, van emosie, en van die self. In elke geval word klassieke posisie wat essensialistiese definisie aandurf, gekontrasteer met kritiese posisie wat beklemtoon dat hierdie konstrukte sosiaal gekonstrueer en besonder subjektief is. Kognitiewe-affektiewe data word dan aangewend om integratiewe posisie te handhaaf wat die vergestalting van komplekse bewussyn-brein fenomene in die bewyssyn-brein en in sosiale praktyke beklemtoon. Verklarende vrae het aandag geskenk aan die beste wyse om farmakoterapie en psigoterapie te verklaar, aan die wyse waarop placebo-reaksies verklaar kan word, en aan die rol van proksimale en evolusionêre verklarings. Daar word aangevoer dat funksionalistiese verklaring nie daarin slaag om psigofarmakologiese verskynsels, met inbegrip van farmakoterapie en placebo-effekte, te verklaar nie. In plaas daarvan word verklaring wat beklemtoon hoe psigobiologiese meganisme komplekse fenomene kan laat ontstaan, benodig. Evolusionêre verklarings dra tot hierdie verklaring by, maar kan nie op sigself steuring van niesteuring onderskei nie. Etiese vrae sluit die vraag in of psigiatriese steurings behandel moet word, of sodanige steurings met psigotropika behandel moet word, en of psigotropika gebruik moet word om te verhoog. Die kognitief-affektiewe wetenskappe ondersteun die behandeling van tipiese steuringe. In meer atipiese gevalle moet farmakoterapie, psigoterapie, en nie-mediese intervensies op individuele basis oorweeg word. Algaande tegnologieë uitbrei, moet ons oorwegings van die waarde van lotsaanvaarding sowel as die waarde van ’n poging om ’n mens se lewe te verbeter, versigtig in ag neem. Ter opsomming, hierdie proefskrif stel filosofie van psigofarmakologie voor wat aanvoer dat psigiatriese praktyk naturalisties verstaan kan word, soos gebaseer op die natuur- en geesteswetenskappe. Terselfdetyd, behels goeie psigofarmakologiese praktyk ‘n verwantskap met die komplekse werklikhede van die menslike kondisie. Dit vereis ‘n omvattende oorweeging van en omgang met individuele pasiënte se lyding. Goeie psigofarmakologiese praktyk integreer die “objektiewe” en die “subjektiewe” aspekte van die menslike bestaan, streef na sowel verklaring en verstaan, verskaf ‘n gebalanseerde perspektief oor die goed en die sleg van psigiatriese medikasies, en middel tussen onrealistiese optimisme en buitensporige pessimisme.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1981.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1975.