Betekenisgewing aan die leefwêreld soos vergestalt in houdings teenoor eutanasie

The constitution of meaning to the life-world as manifested in attitudes toward euthanasia: A profile of three groups. The question on the sense and meaning of life becomes relevant, especially in crisis situations. The way in which a crisis is handled and the meaning ascribed to it, are relative to the existential position of the ascriber, the dominant value system in his life-world, and his definition of the specific situation. The attitudes assumed by specific groups of people (students, the elderly, and doctors) toward euthanasia (as an ideal typical crisis situation) could indicate the meaning they ascribe to the life-world. The meaning thus constituted indicates meaning structures that reveal dominant value systems of the encompassing meaning structures, either alternately or simultaneously. Because people are ambivalent regarding their imagined responses to crisis situations, it is only with difficulty that the sense and meaning of such situations can be posed concretely. As long as speculation about crisis situations remains theoretical, the extent to which people reflect on an issue like death reveals not only differences in attitudes, and hence, meaning, but also focuses on the fact that the manner of formulating ideas about crisis situations is to be explained in the context of encompassing meaning structures. S. Afr. J. Soclol. 1985, 16(3): 90–96

Ambivalence · Epistemology · Existentialism · Sociology · Theology · Ethics in medical practice · Hermeneutics and Narrative Identity · History · Mathematics · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues · Philosophy · Psychology · Social Psychology

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