Re-articulating Key Categories of Social, Ethical and Political Thinking : A Response to Kunneman

Abstract

In his very interesting paper Harry Kunneman argues for an alternative view on voluntary work which not so much stresses the economic aspect (as many present-day politicians do) but primarily its existentially meaningful aspect. To underpin this, Kunneman makes use of a broad range of hermeneutical, social-philosophical, complexity theoretical, biological and other ideas. This multipolar structure of the article might also prove to be its very weakness, because the rich train of thought remains highly abstract. This could be overcome by using examples and casuistry to elucidate and specify the many distinctions in the article.