Die waarde van waardes: 'n Christelik-filosofiese besinning oor die aard en rigtinggewende gesag van waardes

 

The value of values: A Christian-philosophical reflection on the nature and directional power of values

 

 

B.J. van der Walt

Skool vir Filosofie, Potchefstroomkampus. Noordwes-Universiteit, POTCHEFSTROOM. E-pos: hannah@intekom.co.za

 

 

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OPSOMMING

Om die rigtingkrisis in die moderne kultuur te verlig, is dit deesdae populêr om sekere waardes vir 'n organisasie, instelling of bedryf te formuleer. Gewoonlik word as vanselfsprekend aanvaar dat dit duidelik is wat met die begrip "waarde" bedoel word. Selfs indien dit wel verduidelik word, geskied dit gewoonlik in vae terme. Vir filosofies-geskoolde mense is so 'n situasie onbevredigend en problematies. Die bedoeling van hierdie artikel is dus om vanuit 'n christelik-filosofiese perspektief duidelikheid te bereik aangaande die vraag van wat die plek, aard en gesag van waardes is. In 'n vorige bydrae in hierdie tydskrif oor die waardestelsel van die Noordwes-Universiteit (NWU) kon hierdie probleem nie bevredigend opgelos word nie, aangesien dit nie op die teoreties-filosofiese nie, maar op praktiese probleme gefokus was.
Om die bydrae van reformatoriese visies op waardes te waardeer, begin die ondersoek met 'n kort oorsig oor die geskiedenis van die westerse filosofie. Dit is belangrik, omdat reformatoriese denkers in reaksie daarop hulle eie visies formuleer en hulle bydraes beter verstaan kan word. Dan volg 'n kort beskrywing van die sistematiese filosofie van D.H. Th. Vollenhoven met die oog daarop om die plek van waardes in 'n mens se totale werklikheidsvisie te bepaal. Die derde gedeelte, wat handel oor H.G. Stoker se visie op waardes, bring meer duidelikheid oor die aard en gesag van waardes. 'n Ondersoek na die standpunte van J.P.A. Mekkes, J. Olthuis, S. Fowler, J.J. Venter en D.F.M. Strauss bring nog verdere verheldering en maak dit moontlik om n aantal stellings oor waardes te formuleer, wat moontlik die hedendaagse verwarring rondom waardes, ook by die NWU, kan help opklaar. Aangesien algemene waardes nie werklik voldoende normatiewe rigting vir multikulturele en multireligieuse instellings kan aandui nie, besin die laaste gedeelte van die artikel oor 'n alternatiewe manier waarop die probleme van die NWU, asook ander organisasies en instellings wat 'n verskeidenheid standpunte moet akkommodeer, moontlik opge-los kan word. 'n Kort terugblik sluit die ondersoek af.

Kernbegrippe: konfessionele pluralisme, Noordwes-Universiteit, waarde-onderrig, waardefilosofie, waardes

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ABSTRACT

To counteract the crisis of direction in contemporary culture, added values to organisations, institutions or businesses are very popular nowadays. What exactly is meant by the concept "value", however, is usually taken for granted. Even when an explanation is provided, it is usually done in very vague terms. For philosophically-minded people, this situation is unsatisfactory and problematic. Therefore the aim of this article is, from a christian-philosophical point of view, to arrive at more clarity on the question of what precisely the nature, status and directional power of values are. In a previous contribution in this journal, on the value system of the North-West University (NWU), this problem could not be solved satisfactorily, since it mainly focused on practical rather than theoretical aspects.
For a better appreciation of the value of reformational viewpoints on values, the investigation begins with a short review of the western history of philosophy. It is only against the backdrop of this historical review that the contribution of reformational thinkers can be fully understood. It then moves to a brief description of D.H. Th. Vollenhoven's philosophy in order to determine the place of values in one's view of reality as a whole. The third section deals with H.G. Stoker's view on values, which clarifies the nature and power of values. An investigation of the viewpoints of J.P.A. Mekkes, J. Olthuis, S. Fowler, J.J. Venter and D.F.M. Strauss provides further clarification enable a formulation of some statements about values which could clarify the current confusion about values, that of the NWU included. Since general values are not capable of providing clear normative direction in multi-religious and multi-cultural institutions, the last section reflects on an alternative way to solve the problems of the NWU as well as other institutions and organisations which have to accommodate different viewpoints. A brief review concludes the study.

Key concepts: confessional pluralism, North-West University, value education value, philosophy, values

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Full text available only in pdf format.

 

 

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