Ethical Criticism Research Articles

High vs Low Context Communication: Analyzing X Reactions to Gus Miftah

This study analyzes social media comments related to a controversial incident involving Gus Miftah and a street vendor, using Edward T. Hall's theory of High- and Low-Context Communication. The goal is to identify the degree of context in each comment and explore how cultural and social values shape online discourse. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on 9 user-generated comments from a social media platform. The comments were categorized as either High-Context or Low-Context based on the use of cultural references, implicit meanings, and the need for shared cultural knowledge to understand the message. The analysis found that 5 out of 9 comments (55%) were Ligh-Context, while 4 comments (45%) were How-Context. High-context comments often utilized religious symbolism, cultural idioms, and implicit moral critiques, reflecting Indonesia’s deeply rooted religious and moral values. In contrast, low-context comments relied on direct language, explicit criticism, and factual storytelling, making them universally understandable across cultures. The study highlights how local cultural norms, religious values, and moral expectations influence the nature of public discourse online. This approach demonstrates Hall's framework's relevance in cross-cultural communication studies while also providing insights into how Indonesian social media users engage in moral and religious criticism. This analysis can be used as a basis for future research on the intersection of culture, religion, and digital discourse.

Ethical Choice and Melancholy: Lady Macbeth in Her Dreams

Despite the large body of literature on Lady Macbeth, little research has been undertaken to demonstrate the relationship between the invocation by Lady Macbeth in the first act and the final dreams that imprison her. From the perspectives of literary ethical criticism and Early Modern dream theories, this essay argues that the sleep-walking scene in the final act reveals the ethical predicament and the punishment suffered by Lady Macbeth, while the invocation, instead of serving merely as exaggerating rhetoric or performance of witchcraft, indicates Lady Macbeth’s ethical choice and her self-hypnosis that finally lead to the punishment. The causal relation between the invocation and the dreams is built up via a series of somatic changes brought by melancholy, through which William Shakespeare demonstrates to the audience the interaction between body and mind, and the inescapable consequence entailed by the wrong ethical choice.

The Brontë Sisters and the Critical Realism of English Literature

This article explores the distinctive critical realism in the works of the Brontë sisters—Charlotte, Emily, and Anne—highlighting their significant influence on English literature. Through an examination of major novels like Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, the article demonstrates how the Brontës combined unflinching depictions of social and psychological realities with moral critique, challenging literary conventions of their time. Their exploration of gender, class, and identity, particularly the complex portrayals of female autonomy and class struggles, marked a departure from the romanticized ideals of the Victorian era. Additionally, the Brontës’ innovative narrative techniques, such as unreliable narrators and non-linear structures, transformed the novel form, paving the way for modernist experimentation and feminist literary movements. By engaging with the intellectual currents of the 19th century, the Brontës crafted works that continue to resonate across generations, shaping both literary criticism and broader cultural discourses. Their legacy, defined by a commitment to social critique and emotional depth, underscores the enduring relevance of their critical realism in the ongoing evolution of literature.

The Ethics of Clinical Ethics.

The concept ethics defines health care ethics as a professional practice. Yet the meaning of "ethics" is often unclear in the theory and practice of clinical ethics. Clarity on this matter is crucial for understanding the nature of clinical ethics and for debates about the professional identity and proper role of ethicists, the sort of training and skills they should possess, and whether they have ethics expertise. This article examines two different ways the ethics of clinical ethics can be understood: Real Ethics, which consists of objective moral norms grounded in moral truth; and Conventional Ethics, which consists of conventional norms grounded in bioethical consensus. Drawing on the bioethics literature and features of professional practice, it shows that Conventional Ethics is the dominant paradigm. Then it presents a critique of Conventional Ethics, arguing that it cannot avoid the challenge of moral pluralism, it fails to address vitally important moral questions, and it is incapable of providing an essential service to the people ethicists aim to help. It ends with suggestions about how the practice of clinical ethics might overcome these problems.

Autodeterminación y dignidad humana al interior del trabajo sexual

This short essay aims to eliminate taboos and preconceptions around sex work, taboos that have stigmatized all sex workers, providing a condemnatory vision of their profession within a concept of incomprehension, defeatism and marginality being the most condemnable and painful in in many cases, social, political, ethical, and economic criticism for developing an activity marked by a vacuous canonical and theocratic morality within the order of a social state of law. Showing the true character of one of the main virtues of humanity such as morality and ethics, being a set of the scale of human dignity and as a principle of a society, to begin with, it is more than a utopian dream, a pyrrhic battle. Within the thought of a philosopher, I will take as a point of reference Ronald Dworkin trying to match his concept of human dignity with the sexual work.

From Gozan to Okamura Shigeru: A Study on the Changing Evaluations of Tao Yuanming

Abstract: Tao Yuanming(), known as the "foremost recluse poet of all time", has had a considerable influence in Japan. During the Gozan period, literati generally regarded Tao as a symbol of reclusive spirit, expressing admiration for his life and ideals through their poetry. However, Kokan Shiren was an exception, offering the first moral critique of Tao, labeling him as an "arrogant official" and suggesting that his resignation from office and retreat into reclusion was an escape from social responsibility. By the 20th century, the Japanese sinologist Okamura Shigeru completely overturned the traditional Japanese view of Tao, presenting him as a figure full of contradictions and driven by the pursuit of fame and fortune, with his reclusion motivated by a desire for personal gain. A comparison of these two perspectives reveals that the Gozan period's acceptance of Tao Yuanming was influenced by Zen Buddhism, whereas Okamura Shigeru's research reflects the critical analysis of Chinese literature emerging during Japans modernization process. The differences between the two demonstrate the evolution of cultural and academic positions, as well as research methodologies, across different historical contexts.

On Leo Finckle in The Magic Barrel From the Perspective of Ethical Literary Criticism

On Leo Finckle in The Magic Barrel From the Perspective of Ethical Literary Criticism

Should I be held responsible for what I believe：A Comprehensive Analysis Based on Free Will and Determinism

Personal belief in responsibility has triggered extensive philosophical and moral discussions in contemporary society. The question, “Should I be responsible for what I believe?” is related to the core of two philosophy theories: free will and determinism. This theoretical discussion profoundly affects the judgment criteria of law, morality, and personal behavior. In order to better analyze this problem, this paper discusses each of the four cases and argues that there will be different answers to this question in different cases. Comprehensively, this article emphasizes that individuals should consider the rationality and universality of things before generating ideas and making corresponding behaviors, and avoid behaviors that are harmful to individuals or others as much as possible. People should be responsible for their beliefs and behaviors, especially when the behaviors will impact other people.

Theoretical and Methodological Justification of the Public Danger of an Act in Criminal Law

Public danger is a fundamental category of criminal law that defines its essence and social purpose. At the same time, science has not yet developed a unified view on the nature of public danger, its place and role in the structure of criminal law knowledge and law enforcement. In particular, the following questions remain unresolved: the legal boundaries of public danger, the correlation of the principle of legality with the social foundations of criminal liability, the correlation of the concept of harm with public danger, the possibility of its objective cognition, the impact on the assessment of public danger of acts of social values and personality, determining the quality of a crime. The paper analyzes the phenomenology of social perception of public danger in the aspect of law enforcement assessments of real harm. For this purpose, dialectics is used in the categories of reality and possibility. Harm is considered as a category of reality, and public danger as a category of opportunity. At the same time, the author understands harm and public danger not in a universal, but in a legal sense. The essence of harm means an encroachment on social values and a response to it from society and the state — a moral rebuke of the act, elevating it to the degree of social threat (danger). The public danger of a crime is constructed by the legislator, therefore this property (public danger) is associated with the reality of harm and is an important and necessary criminal law construct filled with real social meaning. The modern problem, actualized by the security paradigm, is the definition of moral criteria for the validity of socially dangerous harm.

APPROACHES TO DEFINING THE SOCIOECONOMIC PARADIGM AS A CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The relevance of the topic is linked to the fact that socialization remains a global trend in economic development. However, in the context of the VUCA and BANI world, the task is not only to recognize changes and adapt to shifting circumstances, but also to make rational decisions, set new goals, and apply new algorithms. In such conditions, the socio-economic paradigm acts as a conceptual model of economic development. It represents a paradigmatic framework for studying socio-economic processes through the application of methodological approaches from disciplines such as economic sociology, economic theory, economic psychology, institutional economics, behavioral economics, and others. Therefore, the task of clarifying its content becomes relevant. The aim of the article is to identify and characterize the conceptual foundations of the socio-economic paradigm and the methodological approaches to its substantiation. The article outlines the content of the socio-economic paradigm as a conceptual model of economic development. It describes its substantive premises, reveals the cause-and-effect relationships between economic and social processes, defines the methodological approaches for studying and comparing socio-economics with other paradigms of economic development, and highlights the need to study the degree of influence of social sciences on the economy and the economy on social processes. It is proven that the economic version of socio-economics assumes that the social sphere, as well as various social processes, not only affect the economy but are also dependent on it, and this dependence requires economic evaluation. Socio-economics represents a scientific field that studies the patterns of modern economic life in the context of moral imperatives and criteria of social justice. The object of socio-economics is defined as economic activity carried out at different territorial and organizational levels, while its subject is economic relations regulated by moral and ethical requirements, attitudes, and prescriptions.

At the threshold of criminalisation: repression of ‘oppositional’ civil society organisations in the Israeli settler state

ABSTRACT This article discusses the processes of criminalisation of oppositional political activism of Jewish-Israeli citizens. Israel strives to maintain Jewish supremacy, providing a privileged position to Jewish-Israelis while treating Palestinians by default as a threat. The article focuses on the sustained campaign waged against Breaking the Silence, an organisation established by veterans of the Israeli army that attempts to use a moral critique to campaign to end the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. Since 2009, the organisation has become a target of a right-wing campaign of delegitimisation intended to silence it. The article discusses the process through which oppositional civil society groups are transformed from a position of privilege to a threat to be neutralised. Such processes of criminalisation involve multiple informal and formal tools, and actors from ‘civil society’ and ‘the state’. I argue that the distinction between the two spheres is artificial as both are part of the same hegemonic system. I contend that understanding the nature of the threat and those that pose it opens a window into the vulnerability of the system. The states’ coercive side, which was previously geared against Palestinians, turns towards its privileged citizens, thus rendering its vulnerability more visible.

BETWEEN APPREHENSION AND APPRECIATION: A QUALITATIVE PSYCHOANALYSIS OF THOMAS HARRIS THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

Psychoanalysis is a dominant field of social science that explores the complex layers of human psychology. In the novel The Silence of the Lambs written by Thomas Harris, psychoanalytic theory plays a significant role. The researchers objective is to traverse the complex characteristics of Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling, who possess dichotomic attributes. Lecters intellectual superiority and psychopathic attributes invite deep introspection into his personality, perceptions, and intentions. His idea is reproached by Clarice Starlings pragmatic nature. These psychological discrepancies between the characters underscore the element of Kleins Object Relations theory. As proposed by Friedrich Nietzsche in Beyond Good and Evil, Lecters idea of morality traces the concept of Perspectivism which implies that the notion of good and evil transcends conventional beliefs and practices. The study also attempts to investigate the uncanny relationship between Lecter and Clarice. The two characters shift from being apprehensive to becoming appreciative of each other is the focal point of the research paper. The paper applies psychological approach of Sigmund Freuds three sections of the human psyche: Id, ego, and super-ego. Freuds concept of Eros and Thanatos gets enforced when Lecters violent tendencies grapple with his refined tastes after encountering Clarice. Anna Freuds Defence Mechanism aids in understanding the characters responses to their traumas. While dealing with binary oppositions, the study examines the distinct dimensions of the characters minds. The research also employs ethical criticism to analyze how their relationship challenges conventional moral boundaries and uses deconstruction to examine the blurring of moral and psychological aspects. The research paper ventures to inspect and comprehend the intricate webs of psychodynamics and the relationship arc of Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling.

Mapping a Theory of Dialogic Ethical Criticism

Mapping a Theory of Dialogic Ethical Criticism

Moral judgment, self-determination, and toleration: Reflecting on reform intervention at the outer limits

Here, I reply to three commentaries on my recent book, Promoting Justice Across Borders: The Ethics of Reform Intervention. The main topics include the scope of the category “reform intervention,” to what extent it is appropriate to evaluate economic activity using moral criteria, the meaning of collective self-determination and its relationship to democracy, and the limits of toleration as a moral ideal.

APPLYING LITERARY ETHICAL CRITICISM TO TEACHING READING COMPREHENSION OF LITERARY TEXTS TOWARDS THE GOAL OF DEVELOPING STUDENTS' QUALITIES ACCORDING TO THE 2018 GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

The article begins by applying moral literary criticism in teaching literary text comprehension and provides an overview of the theory of ethical literary criticism. It proposes an approach to literary texts from the perspective of moral literary criticism to develop students' qualities. The research is based on general research methods (theoretical and survey methods) and specific methods (structural analysis methods). The results show that applying moral literary criticism in understanding the texts of the Grade 12 Literature Textbook (Connecting Knowledge with Life series) is entirely feasible, paving the way for its implementation in other textbook series. Keywords: Literary ethical criticism; literary text comprehension; qualities; 2018 general education curriculum.

‘Kant on the Deceitful Art of Rhetoric’

Abstract Kant accuses bad rhetoric of being a deceitful art. In this article, I give an account of both what it means for Kant that bad rhetoric deceives and how this art deceives in the first place. Additionally, I explore significant moral and aesthetic repercussions of bad rhetoric’s being deceitful. The article is structured into Part A and Part B. I start by reconstructing Kant’s technical definition of deception as disagreement between the semblance and the cognition of truth. I go on to argue that bad rhetoric deceives by promising more than it provides. I show that bad rhetoric deceives technically. In Part B, I identify a distinctive trait of deception in bad rhetoric. By exploring this trait, I shed light upon Kant’s moral criticism of bad rhetoric, and I ultimately suggest Kant’s perspective on the appropriate aesthetic response to this art.

Being with Others and the Practice of Theodicy

In this article I aim to highlight one aspect of what it is like to address the problem of evil. The discussion aims to show that the suffering of others comes to matter, in part, because of the way in which we are with others, and they with us. Through a sustained discussion of the film 12 Years a Slave, and drawing on the idea of joint attention, I suggest that the possibility of sharing attitudes with others is central to our experience of the meaning of suffering. In dialogue with the moral philosophy of Stephen Darwall, I highlight the way in which—at least in some significant cases—being with others depends on mutual answerability. These points suggest that whilst moral critics of theodicy are right to emphasise the way that the practice of theodicy can involve a failure to recognise the seriousness of suffering, it is a mistake to think that the suffering of others is ‘hermeneutically off-limits’ to me: whilst we may often be concerned for others, we can also be concerned with them. This, it is claimed, is an intrinsic part of the difficulty of the problem of evil, as well as one reason for its moral significance.

Exploring Utilitarianism

This study explores the contrasting conceptions of virtue in Western philosophy and Islam. Western philosophers predominantly advocate a utilitarian perspective, emphasizing individual and societal utility as the ultimate moral criterion. Happiness and maximum benefit are prioritized, with little consideration for the broader welfare of others. In contrast, Islamic thought diverges, incorporating notions of sacrifice and communal welfare alongside material pursuits. Professionalism and materialism, central to Western ideals, are critiqued within an Islamic framework for their emphasis on acquisition at the expense of altruism.

An Ethical Critique of the Sexist Mining Myths and the Gender Factor in the Extractive Industry of Southern Africa

The extractive industry is an economic venue with enormous potentialities for men and women in Southern Africa particularly, DRC, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa. This part of the African Continent is flourishing with mineral resources in which women participate in different capacities. The contrast here is that of the increased number of women in this industry as opposed to the decline of social and economic wellbeing of women on account of gender based violence and many other oppressions against them. These dehumanising activities against women are fuelled by cultural and sexist mining myths from male peers reinforcing gender disparities. Thus, from an ethical perspective, the present study analyses cultural and sexist myths, deconstructing their patriarchal foundation and valorising women’s human agency and rights within the extractive industry. It is contended that women can contribute to the economic growth of the mining industry in Southern Africa provided that public institutions insure gender parity in the industry. In different levels, a response will be provided to the question: How can the cultural and sexist mining myths be ethically engaged to valorise women’s human agency and rights within the Southern Africa Extractive Industry? In response, this paper critically assesses the cultural basis of sexist myths from a perspective of feminist ethics, proceeding by deconstructing the patriarchal foundation of these myths and affirming women’s experience based on their human and economic capabilities. The present study proposes to contribute to the ethical discourse on gender parity, and the pursuit of women’s social and economic rights in the Extractive Industry.

Biomedical Research and the Need for Ethics

The objective of this paper is to determine to what extent clinical research meets moral criteria. We will briefly present virtue ethics, duty ethics, utilitarian ethics, human rights theory, and end we will end with a few words about moral bioimprovement.