SØMANDSKAB: Arbejdsidentitet og sikkerhedsregler hos danske sømænd

Abstract

Efforts to reduce accidents in seafaring have recently resulted in a proliferation of

measures such as workplace assessments and checklists. Unfortunately, the demand

for written procedures is perceived by many seafarers as counteracting the use of common

sense, experience and professional knowledge epitomized in the concept of seamanship.

“Seamanship” fits well with Dreyfus and Dreyfus’ model of skill acquisition: While

novices steadily follow context-independent rules, context and experience become

predominant at the expert level. In contrast to the novice, expert behaviour goes beyond

analytical rationality and is situational, experience-based, and intuitive. The Aristotelian

concept of phronesis adds a reflexive, social and ethical dimension to expert knowledge.

Phronesis is, like expertise, contextual, experience-based knowledge; but it is also

value- and action-oriented. It combines the capacity to recognize what ought to be

done with the ability to do it. While phronesis rests on value rationality, “techne”

(know how), another Aristotelian concept, is based on instrumental rationality and is

production-oriented. Phronesis is, inter alia, choosing the proper techne for the circumstances.

The seamen fear a development where techne predominates at the expanse of

phronesis. The case raises several issues on which conditions and contexts are

appropriate for rules and procedures to be perceived as a tool at the service of phronesis.