Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The community of the Western Cape carries the burden of the serious consequences of
alcohol addiction. Alcohol abuse is very common and the consequences range from severe to
devastating, not just for the individual but also for the family and the community as a whole.
If answers are sought within the community, the problem deepens, and it becomes apparent
why the problem of alcohol abuse is not being successfully addressed. The addict refuses
treatment, the community respects the autonomy of the individual, and the problem drags on.
The community also has many misperceptions concerning the causes and perpetuation of the
pathological drinking behaviour of the addict, and are thus not equipped with the knowledge
necessary to suggest the correct interventions for this physical and psychological illness.
There is also concern that a person's autonomy and human rights are so highly regarded in the
community that the appropriate treatment necessary for this serious disorder of addiction does
not receive the attention it deserves. This paper investigates the causes of alcoholism and the
factors which reinforce a person's drinking behaviour. The autonomy of the alcoholic is
challenged and examined in depth. The importance currently assigned to autonomy and
individual rights is questioned, and balanced against other important moral and ethical
principles of our time.
Alcohol is a drug which causes physical and psychological addiction. Addiction literally
means "under the control" of something. Alcohol use is a socially acceptable habit. The
psychotropic (calming) effect of alcohol serves as an effective support in or escape from stress
in the life of the individual. There are also "vulnerable" individuals in the community in
whom a genetic predisposition increases the chance of the development of alcohol
dependence. In spite of the fact that alcohol dependence is an acquired physical condition,
nobody intentionally becomes addicted to alcohol.
With the knowledge of the power that addiction exercises over the life of the individual,
attention is now given to the autonomy of the addict, and his/her capacity for rational decision
making. The significance of the decision to request treatment for the individual, his/her family
and the community is balanced against competency to take the decision. Argument is
developed towards the conclusion that the alcoholic is indeed not autonomous, and does not
have the competency to make decisions concerning treatment. If the autonomy of the addict is
thus questioned, the way in which the person is then treated by the community becomes a difficult moral dilemma. The community's responsibility of care towards the individual and
the wider community are jeopardized. The ethical principles of deontology (rules),
utilitarianism (the best result for the greatest number), autonomy versus beneficence,
solicitude, virtue, human rights and other principles are discussed in depth. A solution is
sought that will eventually be "good" for the addict and the community. The conclusion is
reached that it is "good" to intervene in the life of the addict at a certain stage of addiction.
Involuntary treatment is suggested as one possible way of attacking the problem of serious
alcohol abuse that is threatening to overwhelm the community. Practical suggestions are
offered for the renewed application of existing treatment structures and legislation to the
benefit of the addict and the community. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gemeenskap in die Wes-Kaap gaan gebuk onder die ernstige gevolge wat
alkoholverslaafdheid meebring. Alkoholmisbruik is baie algemeen en het ernstige tot
vernietigende gevolge, nie net vir die induvidu nie, maar ook vir die gesin en die gemeenskap
as geheel. As daar na antwoorde vir hierdie probleem in die gemeenskap gesoek word,
verdiep die probleem en kom dit duidelik aan die lig waarom die probleem van
alkoholmisbruik nie suksesvol aangespreek kan word nie. Die verslaafde persoon weier
behandeling, die gemeenskap respekteer die indivdu sy · outonomiteit en die proble~m sleep
voort. Die gemeenskap het ook baie wanopvattings omtrent die oorsake en instandhouding
van die verslaafde se patologiese drinkgedrag en is dus nie met die nodige kennis toegerus
om die korrekte ingrepe vir hierdie fisiese en psigiese siektetoestand voor te stel nie. Daar is
ook kommer dat die gemeenskap 'n persoon se outonomiteit menseregte s6 hoog aanslaan dat
1
die toepaslike hantering van die ernstige verslawing nie tot sy reg kom nie. Hierdie werkstuk
ondersoek die oorsake van alkoholisme en die faktore wat die persoon se drinkgedrag
versterk. Die alkoholverslaafde se outonomiteit word uitgedaag en in diepte ondersoek. Die
gewig wat 'n persoon se outonomiteit en 'regte' in die gemeenskap dra, word bevraagteken en
met ander belangrike moreel etiese beginsels van die dag gebalanseer.
Alkohol is 'n dwelm wat fisiese en psigiese verslaafdheid veroorsaak. Verslaafdheid beteken
letterlik 'onder die beheer' van daardie substans. Alkohol gebruik is sosiaal 'n aanvaarbare
gewoonte. Alkohol se psigotrope effek (kalmerend) dien as 'n effektiewe stut of ontvlugting
vir stres in die lewe van die individu. Daar is ook 'kwesbare' individue in die gemeenskap
waar 'n genetiese predisposisie die persoon meer 'vatbaar maak vir die ontwikkeling van
alkohol afhanklikheid. Ten spyte van die feit dat alkohol-afhanklikheid 'n verworwe fisiese
toestand is, raak niemand 'moedswillig' aan alkohol verslaaf nie.
Met die kennis van die krag wat verslawing op die individua se lewe uitoefen as agtergrond
word daar voorts gekyk na die outonomie en die verslaafde se vermoe tot rasionele
besluitname. Die gewigtigheid van die besluit tot behandeling vir die individu, sy gesin en die
gemeenskap word met kompetensie tot besluitname gebalanseer. Arguemente word gebou
wat tot die gevolgtrekking lei dat die alkohol-afhanklike inderdaad nie outonoom is en nie die
kapasiteit vir die neem van behandelingsbesluite besit nie. Indien die verslaafde se
outonomiteit dan bevraagteken word, word die gemeenskap se verdere hantering van die persoon 'n groot morele dilemma. Die gemeenskap se verantwoordelikheid van sorg teenoor
die individu en die groter gemeenskap kom in gedrang. Die etiese beginsels van deontologie
(reels), konsekwensialisme (die beste vir die meeste), outonomiteit versus goedwilligheid,
sorgsaamheid, deug, menseregte en ander beginsels word in diepte bespreek. Daar word
voorgestel dat die gemeenskap se plig tot so~g, in die geval van endstadium alkoholisme,
moreel sterker is as bloot die respek vir outonomie.
Daar word tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat dit 'goed' is om op 'n sekere stadium van
verslawing in die lewe van 'n persoon in te gryp.· Nie-vrywillige behandeling word
voorgestel as bloot een van die aanslae vanuit die gemeenskap om die ernstige probleem van
alkoholmisbruik wat besig is om die gemeenskap te oorweldig aan te pak. Praktiese
voorstelle word gemaak om huidige behandelingsstrukture en wetgewing opnuut tot voordeel
van die verslaafde en die gemeenskap aan te wend.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51867 |
| Date | January 2000 |
| Creators | Pienaar, W. P. |
| Contributors | Van Niekerk, A. A., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 91 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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