Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: New genetic technologies (e.g. stem-cell research, gene-therapies and cloning) raise some
of the most enigmatic moral problems in the field of bioethics. My aim in this thesis is to
explore the philosophical and ethical significance of the idea of an “ethics of
responsibility” (as, particularly, developed in the work of Hans Jonas, Zygmunt Bauman
and Emmanuel Levinas) for moral reflection on these problems. “Ethics of
responsibility” is a new approach to ethics that represents an alternative to both rule
morality (where moral action is identified with the application of rules) and utilitarianism
(where moral action is identified with establishing the best consequences for the most
people). Rule morality has the serious shortcoming of being unable to deal with real and
actual moral dilemmas, and of being unclear as to which rule applies in which situation.
Utilitarianism has the serious shortcoming of often being way too counter-intuitive: deeds
that we normally find morally abhorrent, such a lying, stealing and even torturing can,
within the utilitarian calculus, sometimes be justified. The notion of an ethics of
responsibility has been promoted by the mentioned authors both to counter the simplistic
idea that a rule exists in terms of which every moral action can be determined, but also to
counter the crassness of the utilitarian calculus. It represents an approach to ethics in
which the interests of the other are taken as seriously as possible within the confines of
the situation in which action is called for. My aim is to explore this approach critically,
and to invesitgate its desirability, applicability and efficacy with particular reference to
the moral problems raised by the new genetic technologies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Nuwe genetiese tegnologieë bv stamselnavorsing en kloning, opper enigmatiese morele
probleme binne die veld van bio-etiek. Die doel van hierdie tesis is om die filosofiese en
etiese belang van die idee van “ ‘n etiek van verantwoordelikheid” (soos dit in die werk
van Hans Jonas, Zygmunt Bauman en Emmaneul Levinas ontwikkel is) vir morele
refleksie van hierdie probleme te ondersoek. ‘n Etiek van verantwoordelikheid is ‘n nuwe
benadering binne etiek wat ‘n alternatief daarstel vir onderskeidelik utilitarisme (waar ‘n
moreel korrekte aksie dié aksie is wat die beste gevolge vir die meeste mense tot stand
bring) en deontologie of reël-moraliteit (waar ‘n moreel korrekte aksie dié aksie is wat
die morele reëls gehoorsaam). Albei hierdie tradisionele etiese teorie beskik oor
tekortkominge. Utilitarisme voer byvoorbeeld aan dat ‘n aksie wat gewoonlik as kontraintuitief
beskou word, moreel korrek is. Aksies soos steel, die vertel van leuens en
marteling kan volgens die utilitaristiese beskouing moreel regverdig word. Deontologie
slaag weer nie daarin om sinvol met werklike en aktuele morele probleme om te gaan nie,
en dit is dikwels onduidelik watter morele reël voorkeur moet kry wanneer dit op ‘n
morele dilemma toegepas word. ‘n Etiek van verantwoordelikheid wat deur bogenoemde
outeurs voorgestaan word, bied ‘n alternatief vir die simplisitese idee dat vaste morele
reël bestaan wat op ‘n universele wyse kan bepaal wanneer ‘n aksie moreel reg of
verkeerd is. ‘n Etiek van verantwoordelikheid beweeg ook weg van die kras benadering
van utilitarisme, en bied ‘n maak ruimte vir ‘n meer komplekse, genuanseerde benadering
tot die etiese problematiek. Dit verskaf ‘n benadering tot etiek waar die belange van die
ander binne die etiese besluitnemingsproses, ernstig opgeneem word. Die doel van
hierdie tesis is om die tradisionele etiese teorie krities te benader, waarna die
toepasbaarheid en effektiwiteit van ‘n etiek van verantwoordelikheid, ondersoek sal
word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/21775 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Dick, Liezl |
| Contributors | Van Niekerk, A. A., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy. Centre for Applied Ethics. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | Afrikaans |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | iv, 241 leaves |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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