This study examines impediments to dynamic moral awareness. Following the understanding of knowledge developed by Michael Polanyi and Bernard Lonergan, ethics is presented not as a science of abstract norms and principles, but as a transformative science of reflection on moral activity. Drawing from the social sciences, negative structural patterns which corrupt transformative awareness are examined under the rubrics of self-deception, social ignorance, ideology, dependency and social conformity. These investigations identify and analyze sociological and psychological features of dynamic relationships preventing or corrupting processes of personal transformation and the building up of moral human community. At each stage of the study, the central role of economic and political structures and conditions influencing modern consciousness, and defining society, are taken into account. This research provides insights and analytical tools to increase our capacity to become aware of the subtle social psychological dynamics which stifle human creativity and block moral and social development within contemporary society.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.28666 |
| Date | January 1995 |
| Creators | Arsenault, Kevin J. |
| Contributors | Baum, Gregory (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Faculty of Religious Studies.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001460189, proquestno: NN05665, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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