The moral justifiability of hydraulic fracturing assessed against the Principle of Double Effect

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorRossouw, Gedeon Josuaen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorLiezl, Groenewalden_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2022-11-22T09:59:59Zen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-16T12:51:50Zen_ZA
dc.date.available2022-11-22T09:59:59Zen_ZA
dc.date.available2023-01-16T12:51:50Zen_ZA
dc.date.issued2022-11en_ZA
dc.descriptionThesis (PhD) -- Stellenbosch University, 2022.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates whether hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as fracking, could be morally justified assessed against the Principle of Double Effect. This Principle emanates from the Just War Tradition and holds that an action that aims to produce a good effect, but produces harmful side-effects, is morally acceptable if the act is good in itself, or morally neutral, the intention of the actor is good, and the side-effects are not a means to the goal, the good effect is morally permissible if it is directly produced by the action and not by the harmful side-effects, and the good effect is sufficiently good to compensate for allowing the harmful side-effects. Apart from being applied in warfare to jus in bellum (justice in war) decisions, the Principle of Double Effect has also been applied in the field of bioethics and in business decision-making. Based on the analogies and disanalogies between war and business, a revised Principle of Double Effect for application in transnational business decisions has also been developed, but its transferability remains problematic. In this study the classical formulation of the Principle from jus in bellum considerations is thus applied to the moral discourse about fracking in South Africa. The discourse about hydraulic fracturing in South Africa generated lively debates among activists, government officials, corporations, and communities. These debates have been informed by various motives ranging from self-interest, diverse ideological paradigms, competing monetary interests, and concern for communities and the environment. Although some opponents and most proponents relied on empirical evidence to support their arguments, none applied a moral decision-making framework to arrive at their opinions regarding fracking. The study identifies the main themes in the discourse about fracking in specifically the Karoo Basin – an arid semi-desert area in South Africa. Seven main themes are explored based on the arguments posited by opponents and proponents of fracking. This is followed by an evaluation of the discourse against the four conditions of the Principle of Double Effect to determine if fracking could be morally justifiable given its foreseeable harmful side-effects. Corporations in the oil and gas industry should take heed of the findings when developing their corporate social responsibility strategies, as it was found that fracking cannot not be morally justified assessed against the four conditions of the Principle of Double Effect.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die moontlikheid dat hidrouliese breking (ook genoem hidrobreking) moreel geregverdig kan word op grond van die Beginsel van Dubbel Effek. Die Beginsel spruit uit die Regverdige Oorlog Tradisie en stel dat 'n aksie wat daarop gemik is om 'n goeie effek te produseer, maar skadelike newe-effekte teweegbring, moreel aanvaarbaar is as die handeling op sigself goed of moreel neutraal is, die bedoeling van die akteur goed is en die newe-effekte is nie 'n middel tot die doel nie, die goeie effek direk deur die aksie veroorsaak word en nie deur die skadelike newe-effekte nie, en die goeie effek voldoende goed is om te vergoed vir die die skadelike newe-effekte. Behalwe dat dit in oorlogvoering toegepas word in jus in bello (regverdigheid in oorlog) besluite, word die Beginsel van Dubbel Effek ook toegepas op die gebied van bio-etiek en besigheidsbesluitneming. Gebaseer op die analogieë en disanalogieë tussen oorlog en besigheid, is 'n hersiene Beginsel van Dubbel Effek ook ontwikkel vir toepassing in transnasionale besigheidsbesluite, maar die oordraagbaarheid daarvan bly problematies. In hierdie studie word die klassieke formulering van die Beginsel vanuit jus in bello-oorwegings daarom toegepas op die diskoers oor hidrobreking in Suid-Afrika. Die diskoers oor hidrouliese breking in Suid-Afrika het gelei tot lewendige debatte onder aktiviste, staatsamptenare, korporasies en gemeenskappe. Hierdie debatte is gevoed deur verskeie motiewe, wat wissel van eiebelang, diverse ideologiese paradigmas, mededingende monetêre belange en besorgdheid oor gemeenskappe en die omgewing. Alhoewel sommige teenstanders en meeste voorstanders op empiriese bewyse staatgemaak het om hul argumente te ondersteun, het niemand 'n morele besluitnemingsraamwerk toegepas om hul menings rakende hidrobreking toe te lig nie. Hierdie studie identifiseer die hooftemas in die diskoers oor hidrobreking in die Karookom spesifiek – 'n dorre semi-woestyngebied in Suid-Afrika. Sewe hooftemas word ondersoek op grond van die argumente wat deur teenstanders en voorstanders van hidrobreking gestel word. Dit word gevolg deur 'n evaluering van die diskoers teen die vier voorwaardes van die Beginsel van Dubbel Effek om te bepaal of hidrobreking moreel regverdigbaar kan wees gegewe die voorsienbare skadelike newe-effekte daarvan.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extent206 pagesen_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126134en_ZA
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subjectHydraulic fracturing -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectDouble effect (Ethics) -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectSocial responsibility of business -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectDecision making -- Moral and ethical aspects -- South Africa.en_ZA
dc.subjectJust war doctrineen_ZA
dc.subjectUCTDen_ZA
dc.titleThe moral justifiability of hydraulic fracturing assessed against the Principle of Double Effecten_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
groenewald_moral_2022.pdf
Size:
1.72 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Collections
Doctoral Degrees (Philosophy)