The Theory of the Person in Robert Spaemann's Ethical Assessments
Robert Spaemann has written widely on a variety of philosophical topics and prominent figures in the history of philosophy. He is especially notable for his work in the philosophy of the human person. However, Spaemann has also written on many particular ethical controversies such as abortion, the use of nuclear power, and euthanasia. This dissertation argues that there is a relationship between Spaemann's treatment of particular ethical issues and his philosophical anthropology. In various ways, his ethical assessments are informed by his theory of the human person. The first chapter discusses Spaemann's understanding of the human person as a self-transcendent being. The analysis focuses on Persons, Spaemann's most comprehensive exploration of the subject. The chapter begins by examining Spaemann's three typical ways of speaking about self-transcendence. The individuality and intersubjectivity of the human person are then considered. Finally, the chapter ends with an examination of Spaemann's descriptions of some "ordinary" manifestations of self-transcendence: promising, forgiveness, and death. The second, third, and fourth chapters turn to Spaemann's ethical assessments of six moral controversies. The second chapter considers the issues of genetic manipulation and the use of embryos. The third chapter considers abortion and nuclear power. The fourth chapter considers euthanasia and "brain death." In each case, the methodology is the same: first, Spaemann's primary criticisms of each practice are reviewed; then, the various ways in which his theory of the person enters into and influences the ethical assessment are identified and explained. The dissertation concludes with a more precise statement of the various ways in which Spaemann's ethical assessments draw upon his philosophical anthropology: his assessments are grounded metaphysically, epistemologically, and dialectically in his theory of the person. It is suggested that this theoretic grounding imparts an attractive unity to Spaemann's applied ethics. However, it is also suggested that this grounding makes the persuasiveness of his assessments ultimately dependent upon the cogency of his theory of the person and his understanding of the nature of philosophy.
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