The topic of this study is one specific area where the tension between instrumental rationality and value rationality becomes prominent: the question whether we have a rational responsibility for nature or not. Such a responsibility cannot be derived from instrumental reason, but it is argued that it can be derived from discourse ethics and communicative rationality. The study begins with an examination of Georg-Henrik von Wright's cultural criticism. It is argued that his subjectivist view of values limits reason to the realm of instrumental rationality. Horkheimer and Adorno's theory of instrumental reason is examined. They claim that instrumental reason, through the negative dialectics of the enlightenment, have created a vacuum with regard to values. Marcuse's anthropological solution to the problem of values, and his theory of an emancipatory science and technology, are examined and rejected as Utopian. The philosophy of Jürgen Habermas is examined, and it is shown how he solves the problem of his predecessors through the dual framework of work and interaction. His hypothesis of three knowledge- constitutive interests is analyzed, and it is concluded that a general theory of communication is needed in order to solve the problem of value rationality. It is shown how Habermas later theory of communicative rationality and discourse ethics overcomes the shortcomings of his earlier theory. It is argued, among other things, that his theory of communicative rationality is compatible with a correspondence theory of truth, ontological realism and epistemological fallibilism. Discourse ethics makes a rational discussion of values and norms possible. It is argued that it solves the problem of value rationality, but without providing a definition of the good or the right. It is shown that revisabilty is an important part of discourse ethics. This is manifested in the hypothetical status of discourse ethics, and in the revisability of the norms proposed. It is argued that we are in fact able to rationally propose a norm, which demands responsibility for nature within the framework of communicative rationality and discourse ethics, although such a norm must be the result of the outcome of a rational discourse and is itself, revisable. / digitalisering@umu

This thesis shows how democratic politics requires a commitment to pluralism as engagement and encounter of the other in their otherness. I contend that it is necessary to commit to such an idea of pluralism because of the problem of incomplete understanding. I establish this premise by drawing on Hans-Georg Gadamer’s account of human finitude. Based on this premise, I argue that the instantiation of Gadamer’s principle of openness leads democratic politics to pluralism as engagement and encounter of the other. Further, I develop accounts of asymmetric reciprocity, reflexivity, and agonism as modes of democratic politics that instantiate the principle of openness. In chapter 1, I establish discourse as a necessary element for democratic politics by drawing from the way Jurgen Habermas uses ‘discourse ethics’ to address the problems of understanding in plural societies. In chapter 2, I demonstrate how incomplete understanding poses a problem for discourse and gives rise to interpretive conflicts by drawing from Gadamer’s account of human finitude. Here I also develop an account of openness as a suitable principle for beings with incomplete understanding based on Gadamer’s idea of hermeneutical experience. In chapters 3-5, I develop accounts of asymmetric reciprocity, reflexivity, and agonism as modes of democratic politics that instantiate the principle of openness. I do so by drawing from Iris Young’s, John Dryzek’s, and Chantal Mouffe’s approaches to the problems that plurality poses to discourse ethics and democratic politics.

Le rapport d’expertise du médecin légiste a souvent un rôle déterminant dans de nombreux procès criminels pour condamner ou relaxer un mis en cause. En révélant des faits utiles à l’enquête, le médecin légiste a le devoir d’être neutre, d’utiliser les données actuelles de la science et de rechercher la vérité de ce qui s’est passé. Mais la position classique de neutralité axiologique est-elle pertinente? Peut-on évacuer les valeurs de l’expertise ? La vérité est-elle accessible ? Qu’est-ce que la science en médecine légale ? Le médecin légiste n’utiliserait-il pas d’autres outils pour arriver à ses conclusions ? Pour répondre à ces questions, ce travail se propose d’étudier le rapport entre faits et valeurs au sein de l’expertise médico-judiciaire ainsi que d’examiner comment s’élaborent les conclusions du médecin légiste et la manière dont il les exprime. / The expert report composed by a forensic pathologist often plays a key role in many criminal trials in order to either free or convict the defendant. By unearthing useful facts for the inquiry, the forensic pathologist has a duty to be neutral, use up-to-date scientific knowledge and data and to search for the truth in underlying events. But is the usual position of axiological neutrality relevant? Can values be evacuated from the expertise? Can the truth be achieved? What is actually science in the field of forensics? Is the forensic pathologist not using other tools to reach a conclusion? To address these issues, this work proposes to investigate the relationship between facts and values in the field of forensic expertise, as well as to examine the way the forensic scientists draw conclusions and in turn how these are stated.

Norm criticism is a well-spoken topic in the Swedish after-school center, never has the gender and race aspect been so debated as now. In this candidate thesis, norm criticism in the Swedish after-school center, is brought to the surface and put into the perspective of intersectionality through two cases. Their cultural background and normative values will also play a role. Our two cases connected through years of working in the after-school center, will be debated through different contemporary articles, literature and a observation as well to bring focus on norm critical pedagogy. We will work around the questions; how do we use norm critical pedagogy, if we don’t know whose norms to emanate from, and how important are norms really in our daily work as teachers? Do all students get the same treatment, or is there a difference between students with a minority background, and is there a difference between how teachers view, categories and judge them according to their own evaluation and norms? / Normkritik är ett ämne som är omtalat i svenska fritidshem, aldrig har genus och rasaspekter varit så omdebatterat som nu. I detta kandidatarbete kommer normkritik i det svenska fritidshemmet att lyftas fram intersektionellt genom två berättelser, kulturella och normativa värden kommer även att spela en roll. Genom två beskrivna händelser, kopplat till år av arbete i fritidshemmet kommer vi att reflektera med hjälp av samtida artiklar, litteratur och en observation samt fokusera på normkritisk pedagogik. Vi kommer att utgå från frågeställningar som; hur använder vi oss av normkritisk pedagogik om vi inte vet vems normer vi utgår ifrån, och hur stor roll spelar egentligen normer i vårt dagliga arbete som lärare i fritidshem? Får alla elever samma bemötande i skolan, eller finns det en skillnad mellan elever från minoritetskulturer och är det skillnad på hur lärare bedömer och kategoriserar dem kopplat till deras egna värderingar och normer? / <p>Bedömningsgrad: VG</p>

Nombre de « scandales éthiques » ont émaillé l’actualité de la recherche clinique dans les pays du Sud. Face à ce constat, il semble que les principes fondateurs de l’éthique de la recherche biomédicale admis et promulgués par les déclarations et les conférences de consensus internationales ne suffisent pas à protéger au Sud les volontaires participant à des essais cliniques. Nécessitant une adaptation hors du contexte qui a permis leur consolidation, bien que soit donné à voir à chaque nouveau scandale à quel point tout infléchissement des cadres normatifs peut être porteur de dérives inadmissibles, ces principes s’avèrent pour partie remis en question par la situation économique, sanitaire, sociétale des pays du Sud.Le concept de « double standard éthique » décrivant le double écueil auquel l’éthique de la recherche doit faire face, celle-ci s’avère captive d’une forme d’impérialisme des principes et des valeurs ou bien vouée au relativisme moral. La première alternative semble devoir conduire inexorablement à l’arrêt des recherches cliniques dans les pays ne permettant pas l’application stricte des normes qui les encadrent au Nord. La deuxième semble quant à elle mener à l’acceptation d’une réalisation irresponsable,dérégulée, d’essais cliniques aux finalités variables. Face à ce constat, se pose la question de savoir si cette alternative entre absolutisation de la norme et dérégulation peut être dépassée afin de penser une éthique de la recherche au Sud à la fois universelle et singulière.L’exploration de cette question permettra de redéfinir l’éthique comme processus de discussion et de priorisation des principes universels guidé par une compréhension de situations toujours singulières. De ce point de vue, l’adaptation des « conceptions internationalistes » de l’éthique de la recherche à la singularité des contextes apparaîtra non comme une nécessité externe, provoquée par un élément extérieur,mais comme un devoir inhérent à la nature même de la visée éthique. Plus encore, les questions posées par les contextes des pays du Sud à l’éthique de la recherche clinique serviront de révélateur en contribuant à montrer le bien fondé d’une remise encause des interprétations normatives de ses principes, au Nord y compris.7 / Number of “ethical scandals” have punctuated the news of clinical research in developing countries. Given this fact, it seems that the founding principles of the ethics’ biomedical research accepted and promulgated by declarations and international conferences are not enough to protect the volunteers participating in clinical trials in South’s countries. Out of context enabling their strengthening, ethical principles require adaptation. If each new scandal shows how any shift in regulatory frameworks may carry unacceptable abuses, these principles are nevertheless found challenged by South’s economic, state of health and social organizations. The concept of “double standard ethics” describes the twin dangers to which the biomedical research ethics faces. Indeed, biomedical research is captive to a form of imperialism of principles and values, or devoted to moral relativism. The first alternative seems to lead inexorably to the cessation of clinical research in developing countries do not allow the strict application of the standards that govern the North. The second appears to lead to the acceptance of irresponsible and unregulated clinical trials.Given this situation, the question arises whether this alternative may be exceeded in order to assume a research ethics in the South at once universal and unique. The exploration of this issue will redefine ethics as a process of discussion and priorization of universal principles guided by an understanding of situations always singular. From this point of view, the adaptation of “internationalist conceptions” of research ethics to unique contexts appear not as an external necessity but as a duty inherent in the nature of the ethical aim. Moreover, questions asked by the contexts of the South’s countries to the ethics’ clinical research will serve as a contributing developer to show the merits of a challenge to normative interpretations of its principles, including in North’s countries.

Cette thèse porte sur l’examen des distorsions communicationnelles à partir de communications établies entre les enfants vulnérables et le personnel à l’intérieur de la société de l’Imam Ali. Ces communications ont été étudiées à la lumière des vécus des enfants dans les trois dimensions de la vie des enfants vulnérables. Il s’agit des dimensions psychosociale (parcours et histoires des enfants placés dans les maisons d’accueil), communautaire (famille et groupes sociaux proches) et sociale; et nous l’avons fait en nous rattachant à la théorie de l’agir communicationnel de Habermas (1987), en tenant compte de la structure éthico-politique de la société iranienne. Pour ce faire, nous avons aussi introduit des concepts de vulnérabilité et de violence dans la ligne d’une objectivation des distorsions communicationnelles dans le cas d’enfants vulnérables. Cette question a été traitée comme étant une question éthique à partir de discours des enfants et du personnel par rapport à la question suivante : vers quoi s’orientent les communications entre les deux champs humains qui interagissent dans les maisons d’accueil de la société de l’Imam Ali, soit les enfants et les membres du personnel? Vont-elles plutôt dans le sens de la contrainte ou plutôt dans le sens de la coopération (communicationnel)? La méthodologie de recherche est partie d’une approche logico-pragmatique fondée sur l’argumentation. Elle est basée sur certaines contributions théoriques de la logique naturelle (Grize, 1996) et sur l’éthique de la discussion (Habermas, 1987-2013). Selon nos résultats, il existe une zone de violence qui se trouve à la racine de la religion islamique. L'étude a révélé que les sujets vulnérables subissent à la fois de la violence visible et de la violence silencieuse provenant des structures sociales, cela rendant leur état de plus en plus vulnérable et précaire. De plus, le monde des enfants est colonisé par une communication dirigée vers un « non-dialogue » dans l’espace dédié à leur protection. Il ressort de cette étude que les communications établies dans les maisons d’accueil se basent sur une éthique de la religion islamique, et elles mènent par-là à des chemins représentant des processus de reconnaissance et de socialisation religieuse. Les propos que nous avons fait émerger nous ont permis d’affirmer l’existence d’une forte contrainte d’ordre religieux – voir la violence silencieuse. C’est pourquoi ces espaces de vie ne remplissent pas les conditions préalables à la réalisation d’une éthique de discussion dans le sens habermassien. Cette recherche révèle un cycle de violence silencieuse inscrit dans les structures sociales de l’Iran et perturbant le contexte de l’agir communicationnel dans un contexte d’enfants vulnérables. La conséquence en est l’émergence d’un processus de déformation qui entraîne des distorsions communicationnelles. L’étude a ouvert la voie à une nouvelle piste de recherche dirigée vers les distorsions communicationnelles qui révèlent de nouveaux aspects pathogènes d’une contrainte exercée par un pouvoir politico-administratif. / This thesis focuses on the study of distortions of communications between the vulnerable children served by the Imam Ali Society and its staff. These communications were studied by looking at three dimensions of the experiences of those children, namely, the psychosocial dimension (paths and stories of the children placed in foster homes), the community dimension (family and close social groups) and the social one. It was carried out by employing Habermas's theory of communicative action (1987) while taking into account the ethico-political structure of the Iranian society. For this purpose, we also introduced concepts of vulnerability and violence in order to objectify communication distortions in the case of vulnerable children. The problem was approached as an ethical conundrum in the children and staff interactions regarding the following questions: in which direction is the communications between the children and the staff in the Imam Ali Society Shelter taking place? Are they more in the direction of constraint or rather in the direction of cooperation? The methodology of this research is part of a logico-pragmatic approach based on argumentation. It is based on certain theoretical contributions of natural logic (Grize, 1996) and the discourse ethics theory (Habermas, 1987-2013). According to our results, there is a zone of violence and increased vulnerability, source of which is mostly routed in Islam. This research also leads us to identify a zone of vulnerability, where the vulnerable are exposed to both visible and silent violence from social structures, making their condition more and more vulnerable and precarious. In addition, the children's lives are colonized by a communication directed towards a "non-dialogue" in the social space rather than one dedicated to their protection. The study indicates that communications established in the shelter of the Imam Ali Society are based on Islamic ethics, leading thereby to paths representing processes of religious recognition and socialization. This research identified the existence of a strong religious constraint i.e., silent violence. For this reason, these spheres of life do not fulfill the preconditions for realization of a Habermassian ethical discourse theory. Our work demonstrates a cycle of silent violence embedded in the Iran's social structures, disrupting communication in the context of vulnerable children. The consequence is the emergence of deformation processes that lead to communication distortions. This research paved the way for a new line of research on communication distortions revealing new pathogenic aspects of a constraint exerted by a politico-administrative power.

Recent years have seen an influx of medical technologies capable of remotely monitoring the health and behaviours of individuals to detect, manage and prevent health problems. Known collectively as personal health monitoring (PHM), these systems are intended to supplement medical care with health monitoring outside traditional care environments such as hospitals, ranging in complexity from mobile devices to complex networks of sensors measuring physiological parameters and behaviours. This research project assesses the potential ethical implications of PHM as an emerging medical technology, amenable to anticipatory action intended to prevent or mitigate problematic ethical issues in the future. PHM fundamentally changes how medical care can be delivered: patients can be monitored and consulted at a distance, eliminating opportunities for face-to-face actions and potentially undermining the importance of social, emotional and psychological aspects of medical care. The norms evident in this movement may clash with existing standards of 'good' medical practice from the perspective of patients, clinicians and institutions. By relating utilitarianism, virtue ethics and theories of surveillance to Habermas' concept of colonisation of the lifeworld, a conceptual framework is created which can explain how PHM may be allowed to change medicine as a practice in an ethically problematic way. The framework relates the inhibition of virtuous behaviour among practitioners of medicine, understood as a moral practice, to the movement in medicine towards remote monitoring. To assess the explanatory power of the conceptual framework and expand its borders, a qualitative interview empirical study with potential users of PHM in England is carried out. Recognising that the inherent uncertainty of the future undermines the validity of empirical research, a novel epistemological framework based in Habermas' discourse ethics is created to justify the empirical study. By developing Habermas' concept of translation into a procedure for assessing the credibility of uncertain normative claims about the future, a novel methodology for empirical ethical assessment of emerging technologies is created and tested. Various methods of analysis are employed, including review of academic discourses, empirical and theoretical analyses of the moral potential of PHM. Recommendations are made concerning ethical issues in the deployment and design of PHM systems, analysis and application of PHM data, and the shortcomings of existing research and protection mechanisms in responding to potential ethical implications of the technology.

The present study has a threefold aim: First, the theoretical aim is to give a contribution to refinement of the theory of dialogue based feminist ethics, concerning the understanding of judgment and narration within such an ethics.  The study also has an empirical aim, defined as to clarify what kind of knowledge, relevant to the moral judgment of an engaged outsider actor, can be received from dialogical interpretation and analysis of a limited selection of critically reflecting life stories. Third, a methodological aim is defined as to develop an approach to interpretation and analysis of reflecting life stories, which renders the storyteller visible as a reflecting moral subject, and makes the story accessible as a source of knowledge for the moral judgment of an engaged outsider actor. The thesis combines philosophical reflection and argumentation, with a narrative-hermeneutic method for interpretation of life stories, relating the two to each other in a hermeneutic process.  The theoretical reflection draws on Seyla Benhabibs theory of communicative ethics. A dialogue based model for moral justification and a likewise dialogue based model for political legitimacy are at the heart of this universalistic theory, although in combination with a conception of a narratively and hermeneutically constituted context sensitive moral judgment, based on Hannah Arendt’s concept “enlarged thought”. In the reflection, this model is related to other feminist theorizing within the tradition of dialogue based feminist ethics, as found in the works of Iris M. Young, Georgia Warnke and Shari Stone-Mediatore. The empirical study draws on three critically reflecting life stories from Israeli-Palestinian women activists for a just peace. The methodology for interpretation and analysis that is worked out combines dialogical interpretation as presented in Arthur W. Frank’s socio-narratology with a method for structural analysis derived from Shari Stone-Mediatores theory of storytelling as an expression of political resistance struggle. The results show that some stories drawing on marginalized experiences have a potential­ to stimulate further public debate through their capacity to enable a stereoscopic seeing, elucidating a tension between ideologically structured discourse and non-linguistic experience; implying that narrative-hermeneutic competence should be considered crucial for public debate.

Nous sommes devenus insoutenables. Il faut organiser une responsabilité globale pour prendre soin deseffets systémiques planétaires de l’action collective. La Responsabilité Sociale peut être le modèlepratique de cette responsabilité au niveau des organisations. Mais il faut pouvoir fonder éthiquementcette nouvelle responsabilité collective, sans auteur, prospective, et qui n’impute plus tant les actes enles attribuant à des sujets que les impacts des actes en créant des collectifs solidaires. C’est ce que nousfaisons dans cette thèse, en fondant une éthique à trois dimensions : vertu, justice, soutenabilité ; et enreformulant la Responsabilité Sociale des Sciences comme celle des Entreprises sous l’égide d’uneéthique de la discussion. Sur ces fondements éthiques, la Responsabilité Sociale ne peut plus êtreconçue comme engagement volontaire mais comme devoir à institutionnaliser par régulation hybridede notre coresponsabilité / We have become unsustainable. We have to organize a global responsibility to take care of theplanetary side-effects of human action. Social Responsibility may be the practical model of thisresponsibility for the various organizations. But we must found ethically this new collective,anonymous and prospective responsibility, which is not imputing acts to somebody any longer, butcreates united groups to take care of the impacts of people’s acts. In this philosophical thesis, we definea 3D ethic: virtue, justice, sustainability. We reformulate Corporate Social Responsibility andScientific Social Responsibility under the aegis of the discourse ethics (Apel, Habermas). Because ofthis ethical foundation, Social Responsibility can no longer be conceived as a voluntary commitmentbut as a duty that has to be institutionalized by a hybrid regulation of our shared responsibility / Nos hemos vuelto insostenibles. Hay que organizar una responsabilidad global para cuidar de losefectos sistémicos planetarios de la acción colectiva. La responsabilidad social puede ser el modelopráctico de esta responsabilidad en las organizaciones. Pero hay que poder fundamentar éticamenteesta nueva responsabilidad colectiva, sin autor, prospectiva, y que, en lugar de imputar actos a sujetos,imputa más bien impactos de los actos creando colectivos solidarios. Es lo que hacemos en esta tesis,fundamentando una ética en tres dimensiones: virtud, justicia, sostenibilidad; y reformulando laresponsabilidad social científica tanto como empresarial en términos de ética del discurso. Sobre estosfundamentos éticos, ya no se puede seguir concibiendo la responsabilidad social como compromisovoluntario facultativo, sino como deber a institucionalizar mediante una regulación híbrida de nuestracorresponsabilidad

Made available in DSpace on 2015-10-19T11:50:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dib2013.pdf: 1137781 bytes, checksum: ac9e7342b358d874fc71cf79c3926eab (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-03-13 / It proposes discursive administration in brazilian academic libraries which is considered a current forms of administration alternative. It discusses the main features of the information society and the technological developments and the impacts on education, especially in universities, to contextualize the changes in academic libraries. It presents main aspects of theories of Communicative Action and Discourse of Jürgen Habermas and the basic assumptions of discourse administration, from these theories. It addresses the management of academic libraries, based on the literature, aiming to show brief history on the subject. It presents the results of empirical research shown in the oral communications of the National Seminar of University Libraries in the years of 2004, 2008 and 2012 that report forms of administration used in these libraries. The results reveal that most forms of administration in that period is related to contemporary approaches in the area of administration, indicating linkage between this area and Librarianship; 36% of the universe analyzed come under some aspect, the focus on technology and 23% in the communicative approach; the administration discursive assumptions not identified the universe analyzed, and finally it suggests the predominance of instrumental rationality in these organizations. It presents general guidelines for discourse administration in brazilian university libraries in order to offer help to the managers of these libraries and to encourage reflection and debate on the administration of libraries in contemporary society / Propõe administração discursiva nas bibliotecas universitárias brasileiras, como alternativa às formas de administração vigentes. Discorre sobre as principais características da sociedade da informação, sobre a evolução tecnológica e os impactos na educação, especialmente nas universidades, para contextualizar as mudanças nas bibliotecas universitárias. Apresenta os aspectos principais das teorias do Agir Comunicativo e do Discurso de Jürgen Habermas bem como os pressupostos básicos da administração discursiva, a partir das teorias habermasianas. Aborda a administração das bibliotecas universitárias com base na literatura, visando a mostrar breve histórico sobre o tema. Expõe os resultados da pesquisa empírica realizada nas comunicações orais do Seminário Nacional de Bibliotecas Universitárias, nos anos de 2004, 2008 e 2012, que mostram as formas de administração utilizadas nessas bibliotecas. Os resultados revelam que a maioria das formas de administração contempladas na amostra tem relação com as abordagens contemporâneas da área de Administração, indicando vínculo entre essa área e a Biblioteconomia; que 36% do universo analisado contemplam, sob algum aspecto, o enfoque tecnológico, e 23%, o enfoque comunicacional; que os pressupostos da administração discursiva não são identificados no universo analisado; por fim, sugere predominância da racionalidade instrumental nessas organizações. Apresenta as diretrizes gerais para administração discursiva nas bibliotecas universitárias brasileiras, procurando auxiliar os gestores dessas bibliotecas e incentivar a reflexão e o debate sobre a administração das bibliotecas na sociedade contemporânea