an article by Wilhelm E.J. Klein (City University of Hong Kong) published in Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society Volume 17 Issue 2 (2019)
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine exceptionalisms in ethics in general and in the fields of animal and technology ethics in particular.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviews five sample works in animal/technology ethics it considers representative for particularly popular forms of “exceptionalism”.
Findings
The shared feature of the exceptionalisms exhibited by the chosen samples appears to be born out of the cultural and biological history, which provides powerful intuitions regarding the on “specialness”.
Research limitations/implications
As this paper is mostly a critique of existing approaches, it contains only a limited amount of counter-proposed alternative approaches.
Practical implications
This is a discussion worth having because arguments based on (human or biological) exceptionalism have more chance of resulting in significantly altered theoretical conclusions and practical suggestions for normative guidance than non-exceptionalist perspectives.
Social implications
The approaches critiqued in this paper have a significant effect on the way the authors approach animals, machines/technologies and each other.
Originality/value
The paper identifies intuitive notions of exceptionalism and argues in favour of a reformist, ethical expansionist stance, which views humanity as residing (and other biological organisms) on the same plane of ethical significance as any other entity regardless of its material composition.
Showing posts with label materialism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label materialism. Show all posts
Monday, 23 September 2019
Wednesday, 29 May 2019
Minimalist life orientations as a dialogical tool for happiness
an article by Jennifer E. Hausen (University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg) published in British Journal of Guidance & Counselling Volume 47 Issue 2 (2019)
Abstract
In contemporary culture, it is natural to think that purchasing and owning the “right” possessions results in happiness. This belief supports our loyalty to consumer society.
However, several lines of research demonstrate that high consumption lifestyles and materialistic values are not a trustworthy path to well-being. Instead, materially simpler lifestyles such as minimalism, with a focus on intrinsic values, have been suggested as contributing to happiness and fulfilment.
Thus, the present paper exemplifies how individuals adopt minimalism. I propose Dialogical Self Theory (DST) to explain the decision-making processes in the transition from a materialist to a minimalist lifestyle since DST provides a useful framework to explore multiplicity in an individual’s self-concept by recognising the self as moving between multiple and relatively autonomous I-positions.
Thus, DST can be used to understand how internal inconsistencies, for example between a materialistic and a minimalistic I, are resolved. My elaborations suggest that the dialogical relations of different I-positions serve as a form of self-guidance leading the self to transform into a minimalist. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Abstract
In contemporary culture, it is natural to think that purchasing and owning the “right” possessions results in happiness. This belief supports our loyalty to consumer society.
However, several lines of research demonstrate that high consumption lifestyles and materialistic values are not a trustworthy path to well-being. Instead, materially simpler lifestyles such as minimalism, with a focus on intrinsic values, have been suggested as contributing to happiness and fulfilment.
Thus, the present paper exemplifies how individuals adopt minimalism. I propose Dialogical Self Theory (DST) to explain the decision-making processes in the transition from a materialist to a minimalist lifestyle since DST provides a useful framework to explore multiplicity in an individual’s self-concept by recognising the self as moving between multiple and relatively autonomous I-positions.
Thus, DST can be used to understand how internal inconsistencies, for example between a materialistic and a minimalistic I, are resolved. My elaborations suggest that the dialogical relations of different I-positions serve as a form of self-guidance leading the self to transform into a minimalist. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
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