Thesis (MA (Philosophy))--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / Trophy hunting remains a highly contentious issue within environmental spheres
of debate. Whether it is morally justifiable for humans to kill other living creatures
for recreation, even if by doing so generates revenue in aid of their conservation,
is a contested issue that will not easily rest and on which there is as yet no clear
ground for consensus between opposing viewpoints. Within environmental
philosophy, the topic of the morality of sport hunting has been extensively
discussed, with the focus shifting constantly between various moral and ethical
theories; while in an African context, big game trophy hunting continues to be a
vital source of income for wildlife conservation and rural communities amidst the
contested meaning of its role and place. The phrase "the hunting debate" refers
to the ongoing discourses that surround the contested meaning and morality of
recreational hunting, while the groups involved in the debate are polarised along
the lines of preservationist and conservationist viewpoints.
The lack of consensual ground between opposing viewpoints and the strength of
the conviction of held beliefs and values result in a stalemate. In this thesis an
attempt is made to map this stalemate by identifying the role players relevant to
an African context, and the groups who stand in opposition to one another,
namely those within the anti-hunting and pro-hunting communities. Points of
contention are highlighted, and the various moral theories inherent in the debate
are identified, with the crux of the stalemate being shown to be essentially
between deontological moral assumptions regarding the wrongness of hunting,
and utilitarian approaches that attempt to justify it morally according to an
aggregation of benefits. The meaning of hunting for the Ethical Hunter is also
clarified, as is the meaning of the hunting experience as a philosophical and
historical symbolic construction.
The political nature of the debate is also explored against the backdrop of a
postmodern description of culture and communities, as is the way in which
certain symbols are employed as ideological tools within the debate, and how
they serve to influence public opinion regarding the morality of hunting. The
hunting experience is discussed in detail as a historical construct, and certain
hunting narratives are briefly identified in this regard, as are the symbolisms of
indigenous hunter-gatherer hunting practices. This is in order to identify
similarities or differences in meaning of the hunting experience, and so doing
reach a position to say what hunting with integrity may mean.
Integrity as a Virtue is promoted as the founding conceptual criterion around
which discussions of trophy hunting may be based, and trophy hunting of the Big
Five species in Africa is contextually explored with this notion in mind. While
trophy hunting of the Big Five offers tangible and much needed instrumental
benefits, it does not stand up well to a critique of "the hunting experience" as a
historical construct and as a commodified package, as The Hunting Experience in
this sense is seen to lack authenticity in terms of an idealised and primitivist
notion of the meaning of Ethical Hunting. The paradox of Big Five trophy hunting
is that it is very hard to justify, as it is seen to reinforce dualistic assumptions of
nature, and objectify animals as a commodity; notwithstanding the moral
uncertainty surrounding the act it can, however, be seen to offer benefits that are
pragmatic and tangible, for ecosystems as well as humans. However, with the
exception of strictly utilitarian approaches, the findings of this thesis suggest that
instrumental economic benefits are not enough to justify trophy hunting of the Big
Five in Africa from a moral philosophical perspective, although in keeping with the
aims of the study no attempt is made to posit one moral position over another as
to the morality of trophy hunting.
In conclusion, it is suggested that trophy hunting be de-emphasised as an
inevitable and singularly viable wildlife management tool, and instead be
understood in terms of a short-term strategic compromise, as doing so allows
more room for the growth of ideas that may offer an acceptable alternative.
Based upon the findings of this study, it is acknowledged that such a compromise
is essentially and theoretically also a compromise of integrity, which may
nevertheless within certain contexts be necessary in the short-term.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2436 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Badenhorst, Charl F. |
| Contributors | Hattingh, J. P., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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