Thesis supervisor: Antal Szerletics
Location of studies (in Hungarian): https://en.uni-nke.hu/study-programs/doctoral-programs/phd-in-public-administration-sciences/research-topics Abbreviation of location of studies: KDI
Description of the research topic:
The issue of paternalism is one of the ‘recurring’ dilemmas of moral and political philosophy that has many implications for public policy, including the issue of the welfare state or the limits of state intervention. The scientific discourse on paternalism, based on the landmark publications of Joel Feinberg and Gerald Dworkin, began to unfold in the 1970s and generated a considerable amount of literature over the past fifty years. The conceptual and normative debate is ongoing with varying intensity. A seemingly plausible definition of paternalism states that paternalism is the intervention of P to the autonomy of Q in order to (1.) protect Q from an act of self-harm, or (2.) promote the good of Q. It seems clear that interventions restricting personal autonomy need to be justified – if P is an individual, paternalism can be understood basically as a normative ethical dilemma, but if P is replaced by the state, paternalism becomes a matter of normative political and/or legal theory. The relevance of the proposed research is given by the fact that the political and legal aspects of paternalism are much less studied than its ethical aspects. Among others, the following research questions can be raised in relation to the topic: (1.) the extent to which ethical models of paternalism can be applied to the question of legal paternalism; (2.) how paternalism manifests itself in relation to the regulatory activity of the state; (3.) what are some of the specific manifestations of state paternalism and under what conditions can these be justified; (4.) whether it is possible to create a comprehensive theory that applies to the normative assessment of paternalism.
The aim of the research is to (1) map out and critically examine the main conceptual (descriptive) and justificatory (normative) theories of paternalism; (2) evaluate the possibility of developing a coherent justificatory (normative) theory specifically with respect to legal paternalism; and (3) examine a selected form of paternalistic state intervention based on a pre-defined methodology and set of criteria.
Number of students who can be accepted: 2
Deadline for application: 2022-08-31
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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