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Earth, air, fire and water : moral responsibility and the problem of global drug resistance
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2004.
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| Format: | Thesis |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2012
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| _version_ | 1867613820669657088 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Knapp van Bogaert, Donna |
| author2 | Van Niekerk, Anton A. |
| author_browse | Knapp van Bogaert, Donna Van Niekerk, Anton A. |
| author_facet | Van Niekerk, Anton A. Knapp van Bogaert, Donna |
| author_sort | Knapp van Bogaert, Donna |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/49936 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:12.448Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publishDateRange | 2012 |
| publishDateSort | 2012 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/49936 Earth, air, fire and water : moral responsibility and the problem of global drug resistance Knapp van Bogaert, Donna Van Niekerk, Anton A. Beyers, Nulda Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy. Norton, Bryan G. Drug resistance in microorganisms Medical ethics Environmental ethics Enlightened anthropocentrism Supra-natural microorganisms Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this dissertation, I grapple with the problem of global drug resistance and moral responsibility which, as far as I am aware, has so far not been presented as a topic of ethical inquiry. It represents a conundrum involving three major factors: microbial adaptation and change, human social factors and environmental changes. Drug resistance is a phenomenon in which certain microorganisms, when exposed to antimicrobial agents, may acquire the beneficial trait of drug resistance which ensures a better potential for their survival. The acquired trait of drug resistance I argue renders such microorganisms 'supra-natural '. Supra-natural is a term I coin for entities that have been imposed upon nature by human design; they do not follow the natural evolutionary processes of adaptation and change. Drug resistance is classified as an emerging infectious disease. Human social factors and environmental change (particularly population growth, density and consumerist practices) enhance the rise of emerging infectious diseases. Through such increasing destructive practices, stress is placed on the environment. Environmental stress facilitates the rise of new and old infectious diseases and the spread of drug resistant supra-natural microorganisms. Thus, our ability to treat successfully illnesses and injuries in humans, animals and plants is increasingly impaired. Morally, we are responsible for the problem of global drug resistance. Drug resistant microorganisms exist in nature and concerning this, we can do nothing. At best, we can only try to control the problem using prudential measures. The problem of global drug resistance represents both a biomedical ethical and an environmental ethical issue. Is there a way out of the human-nature debate? Through Bryan Norton's enlightened anthropocentrism, I identify the ways in which his thesis may be applied to the problem of human and environmental concerns and show its applicability in broadening the parameters of biomedical ethics education to include environmental concerns. Key words: biomedical ethics, environmental ethics, drug resistance, Supra-natural' microorganisms, ethics education, enlightened-anthropocentrism. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie proefskrif bespreek ek die probleem van die verskynsel dat mikroorganismes op 'n globale skaal weerstand begin bied teen mediese middels (globale middel-weerstandigheid) en die morele verantwoordelikheid wat dit oproep - 'n probleem wat, na my beste wete, nog nooit aangebied is as 'n tema van etiesfilosofiese ondersoek nie. Dit verteenwoordig 'n kompleks van drie belangrike oorwegings: mikrobiese aanpassings en veranderinge, menslike sosiale faktore, en omgewingsveranderinge. Middel-weerstandigheid is 'n verskynsel waarin sekere mikro-organismes, wanneer hulle blootgestel word aan antimikrobiese agente, die (vir hulself) voordelige kenmerk kan bekom van weerstandigheid teen die middel; iets wat 'n beter potensiaal vir hul eie oorlewing verseker. Hierdie bekomde kenmerk (middel-weerstandigheid) maak, volgens my argument, sulke mikro-organismes 'supra-natuurlik'. Supra-natuurlik is 'n term wat ek munt vir entiteite wat aan die natuur blootgestel is as gevolg van menslike ontwerp; hulle volg nie die natuurlike evolusionêre prosesse van adaptasie en verandering nie. Middel-weerstandigheid word geklassifiseer as 'n opkomende aansteeklike siekte. Menslike sosiale faktore en omgewingsveranderinge (veral bevolkingsgroei, -digtheid and verbruikerspraktyke ) vergroot die opkoms van aansteeklike siektes. Deur sodanige toenemende destruktiewe praktyke word stres geplaas op die omgewing. Omgewingstres fasiliteer die opkoms van nuwe en ou aansteeklike siektes asook die verspreiding van weerstandige supra-natuurlike mikro-organismes. Ons vermoë om siektes en beserings van mense suksesvol te behandel, word gevolglik toenemend ondermyn. Moreel gesproke is ons verantwoordelik vir die probleem van globale middelweerstandigheid. Middel-weerstandige mikro-organismes bestaan in die natuur, en aan daardie feit as sodanig kan ons niks doen nie. Ons kan, ten beste, probeer om die probleem te beheer deur middel van verstandige maatreëls. Die probleem van globale middel-weerstandigheid verteenwoordig sowel 'n biomedies-etiese as 'n omgewingsetiese kwessie. Is daar 'n uitweg uit die mens-natuur debat? Ek identifiseer, met 'n beroep op Bryan Norton se swak antroposentrisme, maniere waarop sy tese toegepas sou kon word op die probleem van menslike en omgewingsoorgwegings Ek wys ook op die toepaslikheid daarvan vir die verbreding van die parameters van biomediese etiek-opvoeding ten einde omgewingsoorwegings deel van lg. te maak. Kembegrippe: biomediese etiek, omgewingsetiek, middel-weerstandigheid, 'Supra- . natuurlike' mikro-organismes, etiek-opvoeding, swak antroposentrisme. Doctoral 2012-08-27T11:33:10Z 2012-08-27T11:33:10Z 2004-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/49936 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 305 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Norton, Bryan G. Drug resistance in microorganisms Medical ethics Environmental ethics Enlightened anthropocentrism Supra-natural microorganisms Knapp van Bogaert, Donna Earth, air, fire and water : moral responsibility and the problem of global drug resistance |
| title | Earth, air, fire and water : moral responsibility and the problem of global drug resistance |
| title_full | Earth, air, fire and water : moral responsibility and the problem of global drug resistance |
| title_fullStr | Earth, air, fire and water : moral responsibility and the problem of global drug resistance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Earth, air, fire and water : moral responsibility and the problem of global drug resistance |
| title_short | Earth, air, fire and water : moral responsibility and the problem of global drug resistance |
| title_sort | earth air fire and water moral responsibility and the problem of global drug resistance |
| topic | Norton, Bryan G. Drug resistance in microorganisms Medical ethics Environmental ethics Enlightened anthropocentrism Supra-natural microorganisms |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/49936 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT knappvanbogaertdonna earthairfireandwatermoralresponsibilityandtheproblemofglobaldrugresistance |