Bioethical postmoralism? An approach towards minimal ethics of rightness and compromise by means of dialogue

摘要

This paper deals with the three major contributions to ethics at the end of 20th century: the theories of Zygmunt Bauman, Gilles Lipovetsky and Jürgen Habermas. All three ethical projects attempt to overcome the moralizing tendencies of the past two centuries, by giving different insights into what a Postmoral approach should be. While the first two reject any universalistic approach to ethics, Jürgen Habermas shows that ethics consumes itself in the argumentative practice and the rational debate and it must rest on some sort of universal principle, which follows from the transcendental conditions of the practical discourse. They are all aware that historical development has forced us to recognize new features of the ethical discourse, such as its intrinsic aporetical character (Zygmunt Bauman), which requires us to pay more attention to values such as pluralism and reconciliation (Gilles Lipovetsky) and also to consider tolerance and respect for others according to the transcendental conditions of the discursive practice (Jürgen Habermas). Nevertheless, they all agree upon the fact that none of these values may even function as a foundation for ethics in the sense of some universal and objective principles. Their meaning will never go beyond the mere purpose of enabling the conditions of the moral debate, the field where moral conflicts are to be discussed and – if possible – resolved.