title: In defence of agent-based virtue ethics

authors: van Zyl, Liezl

subjects: virtue ethics

abstract: In 'Against Agent-Based Virtue Ethics' (2004) Michael Brady rejects agent-based virtue ethics on the grounds that it fails to capture the commonsense distinction between an agent's doing the right thing, and her doing it for the right reason. In his view, the failure to account for this distinction has paradoxical results, making it unable to explain why an agent has a duty to perform a given action. I argue that Brady's objection relies on the assumption that an agent-based account is committed to defining obligations in terms of actual motives. If we reject this view, and instead provide a version of agent-basing that determines obligations in terms of the motives of the hypothetical virtuous agent, the paradox disappears.

text: In defence of agent-based virtue ethics In 'Against Agent-Based Virtue Ethics' (2004) Michael Brady rejects agent-based virtue ethics on the grounds that it fails to capture the commonsense distinction between an agent's doing the right thing, and her doing it for the right reason. In his view, the failure to account for this distinction has paradoxical results, making it unable to explain why an agent has a duty to perform a given action. I argue that Brady's objection relies on the assumption that an agent-based account is committed to defining obligations in terms of actual motives. If we reject this view, and instead provide a version of agent-basing that determines obligations in terms of the motives of the hypothetical virtuous agent, the paradox disappears.

year: 2005

title: 'Mong'st the furies finde just recompence': Suicide and the supernatural in William Sampson's The Vow Breaker (1636)

authors: Martin, Fiona

abstract: The prevailing view on suicide in early modern England was that it was absolutely 'contrary to the Lawes and ordinances of God: 1 and contemporary theologians including John Sym, William Willymat, Robert Hill and Richard Greenham expounded in sermons and treatises on the prohibitions against self-murder and the dire consequences attendant upon the soul of the deceased.2 To take one's own life indirectly challenged the authority of the Church, and suicide, in its violation of community values, also awakened fears of the supernatural and of what the condemned soul might be capable. On the popular stage, of course, dramatizations of suicide could provide shocking but arresting scenes of conflict, both on the personal level and within the affected community.

text: 'Mong'st the furies finde just recompence': Suicide and the supernatural in William Sampson's The Vow Breaker (1636) The prevailing view on suicide in early modern England was that it was absolutely 'contrary to the Lawes and ordinances of God: 1 and contemporary theologians including John Sym, William Willymat, Robert Hill and Richard Greenham expounded in sermons and treatises on the prohibitions against self-murder and the dire consequences attendant upon the soul of the deceased.2 To take one's own life indirectly challenged the authority of the Church, and suicide, in its violation of community values, also awakened fears of the supernatural and of what the condemned soul might be capable. On the popular stage, of course, dramatizations of suicide could provide shocking but arresting scenes of conflict, both on the personal level and within the affected community.

year: 2015

title: Mātauranga Māori to inform understanding of population dynamics and health of pipi in Waihī Estuary, Bay of Plenty.

authors: Kettle, Tyla

abstract: Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems on earth. They hold significant value to Māori as they connect the whenua (land), awa (river) and moana (ocean), and are an important source of kaimoana (seafood) including shellfish. However, due to increased anthropogenic pressures, many estuaries are degraded, affecting taonga (Māori treasure) species such as pipi (Paphies australis). My thesis uses kaupapa Māori methodology and is co-developed with Ngāti Whakahemo, tangata whenua (people of the land) of Waihī Estuary. This project fundamentally draws upon mātauranga Māori (traditional Māori knowledge), combined with western science to map the historic and current distribution, abundance and health of pipi in Waihī Estuary; as well as explore the perceptions of threats to pipi and estuary ecology from tangata whenua and the regional authority. 
Participatory mapping was used via kōrero/interviews with kaumātua to identify sites of significance for pipi, which were then sampled in November 2020. Mātauranga ā iwi from Ngāti Whakahemo informed the sampling locations. Previous pipi sampling methodology and protocols undertaken by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) were used to facilitate temporal comparisons of pipi distribution and abundance. Environmental factors including sediment grain size, organic content, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were also measured to help understand what drives the population dynamics of pipi. Perceptions of tangata whenua and staff members of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC) were also explored following methods similar to Klain et al. (2018) and implementing a dread risk tool via participatory mapping.
Results show that culturally significant sites identified by kaumātua support high pipi abundances of large size (40mm+), with low abundances of pipi in the upper reaches of the estuary. The inclusion of sites identified by MPI allowed for more comprehensive survey on pipi population dynamics by utilising a stratified survey design. Pipi size and abundance was significantly correlated with environmental factors with high pipi densities associated with medium grain size fractions and low levels of TN, TP and organic content. Over harvesting was perceived by kaumātua and BOPRC staff members as the dominant threat to pipi abundance and Waihī Estuary. Nutrients related to sewage inputs and runoff were rated as the second highest perceived threat and diseased shellfish ranked third by kaumātua and BOPRC staff members. 
This study demonstrates that the sharing of mātauranga ā iwi can fundamentally inform western science methods and can be used as an approach to research in the marine science realm. The research space was shared by researchers and kaumātua, was honourable of the mātauranga, iwi voices were heard and a co-developed field survey plan/research plan was produced. Iwi concerns were made a priority throughout, and incorporated into the monitoring, mapping and management frameworks. Thus, I had a Māori-centred agenda which is important as Ngāti Whakahemo are looking to utilise the results from my research to inform their iwi environmental management plan. This approach will help to strengthen current marine management practices and in turn Aotearoa New Zealand’s ecosystems due to iwi environmental management plans being informed by such results.

text: Mātauranga Māori to inform understanding of population dynamics and health of pipi in Waihī Estuary, Bay of Plenty. Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems on earth. They hold significant value to Māori as they connect the whenua (land), awa (river) and moana (ocean), and are an important source of kaimoana (seafood) including shellfish. However, due to increased anthropogenic pressures, many estuaries are degraded, affecting taonga (Māori treasure) species such as pipi (Paphies australis). My thesis uses kaupapa Māori methodology and is co-developed with Ngāti Whakahemo, tangata whenua (people of the land) of Waihī Estuary. This project fundamentally draws upon mātauranga Māori (traditional Māori knowledge), combined with western science to map the historic and current distribution, abundance and health of pipi in Waihī Estuary; as well as explore the perceptions of threats to pipi and estuary ecology from tangata whenua and the regional authority. 
Participatory mapping was used via kōrero/interviews with kaumātua to identify sites of significance for pipi, which were then sampled in November 2020. Mātauranga ā iwi from Ngāti Whakahemo informed the sampling locations. Previous pipi sampling methodology and protocols undertaken by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) were used to facilitate temporal comparisons of pipi distribution and abundance. Environmental factors including sediment grain size, organic content, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were also measured to help understand what drives the population dynamics of pipi. Perceptions of tangata whenua and staff members of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC) were also explored following methods similar to Klain et al. (2018) and implementing a dread risk tool via participatory mapping.
Results show that culturally significant sites identified by kaumātua support high pipi abundances of large size (40mm+), with low abundances of pipi in the upper reaches of the estuary. The inclusion of sites identified by MPI allowed for more comprehensive survey on pipi population dynamics by utilising a stratified survey design. Pipi size and abundance was significantly correlated with environmental factors with high pipi densities associated with medium grain size fractions and low levels of TN, TP and organic content. Over harvesting was perceived by kaumātua and BOPRC staff members as the dominant threat to pipi abundance and Waihī Estuary. Nutrients related to sewage inputs and runoff were rated as the second highest perceived threat and diseased shellfish ranked third by kaumātua and BOPRC staff members. 
This study demonstrates that the sharing of mātauranga ā iwi can fundamentally inform western science methods and can be used as an approach to research in the marine science realm. The research space was shared by researchers and kaumātua, was honourable of the mātauranga, iwi voices were heard and a co-developed field survey plan/research plan was produced. Iwi concerns were made a priority throughout, and incorporated into the monitoring, mapping and management frameworks. Thus, I had a Māori-centred agenda which is important as Ngāti Whakahemo are looking to utilise the results from my research to inform their iwi environmental management plan. This approach will help to strengthen current marine management practices and in turn Aotearoa New Zealand’s ecosystems due to iwi environmental management plans being informed by such results.

year: 2021