CHAPTER 1 - Introduction: against business ethics
CHAPTER 2 - Common sense business ethics
CHAPTER 3 - ‘Business ethics’ I: consequences
CHAPTER 4 - ‘Business ethics’ II: intentions
CHAPTER 5 - ‘Business ethics’ III: virtues
CHAPTER 6 - The meaning of ethics
CHAPTER 7 - Denying ethics I: bureaucracy
CHAPTER 8 - Denying ethics II: global capital
: Definitions
: Philosophers and important people
: Case studies
: Notes from the book “For Business Ethics”
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/27247620_For_Business_Ethics
Business Economics VUB - Sarod Mehdi
, CHAPTER 1 – Introduction: against business ethics
• Two fold meaning “ethos”
Homeros and illiad odyssey: èthos and éthos
-Éthos: customs and habits in a group of human beings. Communal values that help a
group of people to order/organize their form of togetherness.
- To portray the characteristics you have to portray values that are most
important to society such as in Ancient Greece: courage, prudence,
- Nowadays: assertive, communicative, bilingual or multilingual
You need these to function in the éthos we are living in
-Èthos: More reflectivity than éthos.
"custom" or "character" in Greek. As originally used by Aristotle, it referred to a
man's character or personality. Today ethos is used to refer to the practices or values
that distinguish one person, organization, or society from others.
Important distinction between the two is the degree of reflectivity that is contained
in it.
-Contemporary use
• Morals: totality of rules of conduct within a society.
Eg. Habit of taking off your shoes when you enter the house- something that is not
discussed but it is just there- self evident and part of the broader context
Eg. kissing each other on the cheek- in some cultures it’s not acceptable in others it
is. Number of kisses makes a difference
This has to do with ethics in a Primordial state and deliberate action.
• Mortality: is the question should I hold out these morals?
Business Economics VUB - Sarod Mehdi
,Can only occur when someone can regulate their actions- you can’t inscribe it to little
children as their consciousness has not been fully developed eg eating meat, Me too
movement
• Ethics: related to Èthos and éthos
A philosophical discipline dwelling upon science and reasonable arguments
Trying to make a system out of critical reflections on morals and morality
Eg death penalty, abortions, euthanasia
People are trying to find a way to put up a system where they can find reasonable
ideas that can be accepted by the majority- this is where the problem in ethics arrive
1. Non normative ethics: éthos-customs and habits. Factual investigation of
moral behavior- how people do behave
-Descriptive ethics: Study of people’s views about moral beliefs. Trying to find out
what kind of morals are at stake in a society, tribe, group etc. aims to uncover
people's beliefs about such things as values, which actions are right and wrong, and
which characteristics of moral agents are virtuous.
Cultural anthropology- incest in tribes, why is that a value or not a problem in some
groups. Social context, political situation, climatic elements, geographic situation.
-Meta ethics: Metaethics is the study of discipline of ethics- moral thought
and moral language. Rather than addressing questions about what practices are right
and wrong, and what our obligations to other people or future generations are –
questions of so-called 'normative' ethics – metaethics asks what morality actually is
Ludwig Wittge nstein “take of philosophy is to show the fly the way out of the fly
bottle”.
Isn’t meta ethics all we can do in ethics? Dwells on idea ethical demand is singular
and infinite
2. Normative (prescriptive) ethics: Èthos- universal accounts and reflections-
problem of universality. Search for norms- what ought to be
1. Fundamental ethics: why certain principals are preferred over others
Business Economics VUB - Sarod Mehdi
, - Consequentionalism: thinks and gives reasonable arguments for our actions can be
grounded in the consequences. If an action brings better consequences you have
better grounds to do it- this is what most of us do nowadays
- Deontological ethics/ duty ethics: morality of an action should be based on whether
that action itself is right or wrong under a series of rules, rather than based on the
consequences of the action.
Duties and reasons to give that are valid in all times in all cultures for all people. Eg
“do not kill”
- Virtue ethics: Virtue ethics is a philosophy developed by Aristotle and other ancient
Greeks. This character-based approach to morality assumes that we
acquire virtue through practice. By practicing being honest, brave, just, generous.
Depending on the society you find yourself in that virtue is valid. Eg ancient Athens :
virtue of wisdom Greek. Sparta : virtue of physical activity.
2. Applied ethics:
- Bioethics: some form of biotechnology. Genetic manipulation.
- Medical ethics: fundamental for our questions about our medical dilemmas. What
situations is a doctor allowed to make an end to a life of a patient?
- Animal ethics: animal testing cosmetics and drugs and animal rights. Difference
between humans and animals
- Media ethics: principles and standards of media, including broadcast media, film,
theatre, the arts, print media and the internet
- Business ethics: are there fundamental for business practices to tell right from
wrong. Relationships, headscarf’s, laying off people, green policies
Business Economics VUB - Sarod Mehdi
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