Test 3 Flashcards
How do we promote ethical behavior?
Fort’s Overriding Question
Why be ethical?
An ethical life is not self sacrifice but rather self-fulfillment.
Singer’s Overriding Question
Argues within a business ethics paradigm, but the lessons can be easily applied to other arenas as well.
Believes that spiritual or religious motivation gives an imperative to act ethically within a mediating institution framework.
We’re ultimately accountable to something (transcendent understanding of good and evil)
There is a standard.
He is willing to concede a motivation to ‘the force’ or ‘the good’ for those who are atheistic or agnostic.
Fort
Rural company changing over its pension plan to 401K.
From “defined benefits” to “defined contribution”
Real concern for the employees thoughts, employee education, and the appearance of propriety.
Example of Ethical Behavior
“A small institution where individuals within the organization were confronted with the consequences of their actions.”
Real human feedback; real relationships.
Mediating Institution
Capitalism is good. It is the most efficient means to economic health, but economic health is not the whole story for the family or business.
Capitalism is a tool for man, not man a tool for capitalism.
Fort Similarities to Aristotle
“Integrates an individual’s good into the common good of others and their associations. It neither quarantines its members, nor does it organize itself on the basis of alienation, fear, or superiority. It socializes its members to see the connection between individual self-interest and the good of others through the means of ethical behavior.”
Mediating Institutions
Built on alienation, fear, superiority, etc.
Quarantining Institutions
We don’t have to agree on everything, but we are all in this together.
Solidarity
Your good is bound up in the good of others.
Singer & Solidarity
Man is by nature a political animal.
Aristotle & Solidarity
Virtues found around the globe in countless religions.
Solidarity
Empathy
Compassion
The belief that we can all recognize by nature real moral goods in the world.
Ex: Everybody knows murder is wrong.
Hence disparate religions make similar if not exactly the same conclusions on basic moral principles.
Natural Law
“no higher level or organization should perform any function that can be handled efficiently and effectively at a lower level of organization by human persons who, individually or in groups, are closer to the problem, and close to the ground.”
An argument against bureaucracy.
Relationships matter. They lead to real concern, real knowledge, real commitment.
Subsidiarity
Our identity is separate form the material production.
Its not my job to ask questions, it is just to make money.
Classical Capitalism
Work by nature is a inherently moral, educational, and social activity.
We produce something that matters, with the help of people who matter.
Spiritual Capitalism
If there is one good, why can’t we agree on what it is?
If there is one good, why can’t we even agree that this is the case?
Because of this and the danger of heavy handed tactics, one should proceed with humility about how one can grasp or how specific one can get.
willing to cede decision making power to the individual.
Limits of Natural Law
Perhaps there is a limit to the number of people we can relate to in a group?
If so, this will make a huge difference in how ethical we are.
Large groups lose sense of accountability. (Does it matter if I steal this money?)
Small groups sympathy, empathy, compassion.
This idea is supported by anthropology. (Churches, tribes, etc. seem to split when they get above 150 to 200 people. If they are bigger than that, they have subgroups.)
Laws of Nature
