ethisch-kritisch

English translation: ethical-critical

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:ethisch-kritisch
English translation:ethical-critical
Entered by: USER00230 (X)

14:09 Aug 24, 2005
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Philosophy
German term or phrase: ethisch-kritisch
"Tzschirner war Vertreter eines an Kant orientierten ethischen-kritischen Supranaturalismus..."

I'd like to know what this really means - I suspect the term may be somewhat misused even in German. All answers welcome of course, but I will tend to award the points for the most convincing explanation rather than just the pithiest English (I could think of e.g. "ethically critical" too, but I feel that raises as many questions as it answers)
USER00230 (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:22
ethical-critical
Explanation:
this may look initially like a terrible, knee-jerk attempt, but...

1. As Parzival's excellent link makes clear, Tzschirner's position is essentially one of hopeless compromise between rationalism and supranaturalism.

2. His supranaturalism is 'ethical' because, in contrast to Kant, he wants to locate moral precepts in a realm beyond the world accessible to reason and allow room for truth established through revelation ('offenbarungsgläubig' in the link).

3. His supranaturalism is also 'critical' ie not thoroughgoing, however, because, in keeping with Kant, he wants to allow a role for reason in establishing ethical precepts ('Vernunftidee der Sittlichkeit' in the link).

4. So his position is 'ethical and critcal' or perhaps 'ethical but critical' in its relation to supernaturalism. 'Ethical-critical' captures both of these: it's a pretty horrible term, but so is the original. (Plus, the people who write this kind of stuff love torturing language in this way, so you could argue that this keeps the right register as well).

Crucially, I think it has to be ethic*al* however you render it because, for the reasons given, 'ethical' is a separate attribute from 'critical' and not a qualifier of it: 'ethisch*en*' in the original.

6. For the latter reason, I think 'ethically normative' or 'ethico-normative' don't work (apart from being something of a tautology).


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Note added at 2 hrs 6 mins (2005-08-24 16:16:11 GMT)
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missed out a '5' in front of 'crucially'
Selected response from:

Kieran McCann
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:22
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3ethically normative
Parzival
3ethical-critical
Kieran McCann


  

Answers


39 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
ethically normative


Explanation:
The term Supranaturalismus is a somewhat specialized term, meaning a type of rationalismus which includes elements of the super- or supranatural - in T.'s case the element of "Offenbarungsgläubigkeit" - thereby holding a position of mutually exclusive elements. Ethisch-kritisch would express this to an extent. - The following entry im Biographisch-Bibliographischen Kirchenlexikon (BBKL)is a most helpful reference.


    Reference: http://www.bautz.de/bbkl/t/tzschirner_h_g.shtml
Parzival
South Africa
Local time: 00:22
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  gangels (X): ethico-normative
0 min
  -> Thanks, Klaus!

agree  Rebecca Garber
5 hrs
  -> thanks

agree  Mario Marcolin
1 day 15 hrs
  -> Thanks, Mario!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
ethical-critical


Explanation:
this may look initially like a terrible, knee-jerk attempt, but...

1. As Parzival's excellent link makes clear, Tzschirner's position is essentially one of hopeless compromise between rationalism and supranaturalism.

2. His supranaturalism is 'ethical' because, in contrast to Kant, he wants to locate moral precepts in a realm beyond the world accessible to reason and allow room for truth established through revelation ('offenbarungsgläubig' in the link).

3. His supranaturalism is also 'critical' ie not thoroughgoing, however, because, in keeping with Kant, he wants to allow a role for reason in establishing ethical precepts ('Vernunftidee der Sittlichkeit' in the link).

4. So his position is 'ethical and critcal' or perhaps 'ethical but critical' in its relation to supernaturalism. 'Ethical-critical' captures both of these: it's a pretty horrible term, but so is the original. (Plus, the people who write this kind of stuff love torturing language in this way, so you could argue that this keeps the right register as well).

Crucially, I think it has to be ethic*al* however you render it because, for the reasons given, 'ethical' is a separate attribute from 'critical' and not a qualifier of it: 'ethisch*en*' in the original.

6. For the latter reason, I think 'ethically normative' or 'ethico-normative' don't work (apart from being something of a tautology).


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 6 mins (2005-08-24 16:16:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

missed out a '5' in front of 'crucially'

Kieran McCann
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:22
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
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