Thesis Defence: The Ethics of Life-Affirmation: Assessing the Life-Affirming and Life-Denying Characteristics of Neoliberal Capitalism

Nils Henning, supervised by Dr. Thomas Heilke, will defend their thesis titled “The Ethics of Life-Affirmation: Assessing the Life-Affirming and Life-Denying Characteristics of Neoliberal Capitalism” in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies – Power, Conflict & Ideas Theme.

An abstract for Nils Henning’s thesis is included below.

Defences are open to all members of the campus community as well as the general public. This defence will be offered in hybrid format.  Registration is not required to attend in person; however, please email thomas.heilke@ubc.ca to receive the Zoom link for this defence.

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ABSTRACT

This thesis explores to what extent neoliberal capitalism tends to be Life-affirming and Life-denying. A philosophical interpretation of Life and an ethical framework, the Ethics of Life-Affirmation, were developed to analyze neoliberal capitalism’s underlying assumptions. The aim was to see if neoliberal capitalism fosters Lifeaffirming social structures that encourage humans to affirm Life. Grounded in Hans Jonas’ existential-phenomenological and Indigenous relational ontology, Life embodies an inner horizon, a fundamental will to live, the interconnectedness of all living beings, and its inherently dynamic nature. The Ethics of Life-Affirmation guides actions to protect and preserve Life while promoting its freedoms and fulfilling its necessities. Tracing neoliberal capitalism from John Locke to Milton Friedman, the study highlights its shift from classical liberalism to neoliberalism, prioritizing economic freedom and wealth accumulation. Using the Ethics of Life-Affirmation as an analytical framework, the thesis finds significant differences between Life-affirming principles and neoliberal capitalism. Neoliberalism’s focus on wealth accumulation and economic freedom contrasts with Life-affirmation’s emphasis on preserving and expressing Life. The commodification of natural elements and labor, combined with profit maximization, risks overexploitation and social inequality. The pursuit of wealth accumulation may not necessarily lead to happiness and responsible action towards future generations. Ultimately, it is doubted that the self-interested pursuit of wealth accumulation fosters behavior that protects and preserves the collective living body while promoting its freedoms and fulfilling its necessities. The thesis suggests exploring alternative economic theories, like ecological and circular economies, to promote sustainable and Life-affirming practices. Future research will further explore these alternatives.