ThreeEthicalDecisionRules
Objectivism
Virtue ethics draws its inspiration from Greek philosopher Aristotle, whose writings trace to
around 300 BCE.
Virtue ethicists, choices and actions are only part of ethics. The deeper subject matter is
thinking about the whole person, and considering the nature of that person’s character
Character: the emotional and intellectual dispositions, characteristics, and sensibilities that give
shape to what people are like and explains the underlying reasons for why they act as they do.
- Emphasizes not merely the assessments of acts as right or wrong but people as ethical
or unethical based on having good or bad character. The aim is to interpret people’s
particular actions within the context of their whole lives.
Virtue Ethics: expresses the idea that ethics is about having virtue, the quality of having a good
character. The flip side is having a vice, which is the quality of having a bad character.
Eudaimonistic theories are goal-oriented or teleological approaches to ethics that focus their
study on how to cultivate virtues to achieve the end of a well-lived life.
- eudaimonia is transliterated from an ancient Greek term that is sometimes rendered
“happiness,” “human flourishing,” or, as earlier, “a well-lived life.”
Doctrine of the Golden Mean: For Aristotle, a mark of virtue is to develop a disposition that is the
mean between two extremes
- Traits: honesty, kindness, temperance, loyalty, courage, tolerance, and forgiveness
- Vices: greed, arrogance, self-centeredness, impatience, untrustworthiness, envy,
disloyalty, and vanity
Character formation is about finding a disposition that appropriately balances reason and
emotions that can tilt too far in either direction.
Analyzing actions and institutions in terms of its good or bad consequences, in terms of fulfilling
specific ethical duties independent from consequences, or in terms of what leads to a well-lived
life.
Virtues then become habits of heart and mind that shape and lead to good actions
, Vice can also become a habit of the heart and mind to make poor choices that become
enjoyable.
Character is relevant not only for action, but for shaping the quality of relationships
Example: People who make buying purchases based on if company engages in corporate social
responsibility
A consequential-istexamines the overall effects of making decisions based on this information.
A deontologistexamines whether there are any ethical duties or rules that require that I consider
CSR practices in this way. The virtueethicist, on the other hand, examines whether living in
ways that take these ideas into account supports a good character or not.
Debates about corporate responsibility often lead to broader debates about the types of
motives people can and should expect from each other in their economic lives
advantageto shareholder theory is that it more realistically characterizes the motives
that most people bring to business and economic life.
Psychologicalegoismis:that people are motivated only by their self-interests.
Ethicalegoismis the normative view that people oughtto do whatever is in their
self-interests.
- long-term self-interest is best interpreted as the interests of the self, and that the
best way to respect our individuality is always to pursue these self-oriented
interests.
- Others criticize this normative argument on various grounds, emphasizing, the
importance of getting “outside” yourself by becoming immersed in a community
with others or by caring for others in ways that redefine or dissolve the egoistic
sense of self
Ch13.4
Ayn Rand emigrated from the former Soviet Union to the United States, writing a series of
novels and essays that have influenced generations of readers, CEOs, and politicians in their
attitudes about markets, capitalism, and how to make the most of life
Ethical Egoism: ethical egoism celebrates the interests of the self as the ultimate ground of
value and ethics
- As humans only source of knowledge, reason is the ultimate authority for determining
how to pursue one’s full potential
Objectivism
Virtue ethics draws its inspiration from Greek philosopher Aristotle, whose writings trace to
around 300 BCE.
Virtue ethicists, choices and actions are only part of ethics. The deeper subject matter is
thinking about the whole person, and considering the nature of that person’s character
Character: the emotional and intellectual dispositions, characteristics, and sensibilities that give
shape to what people are like and explains the underlying reasons for why they act as they do.
- Emphasizes not merely the assessments of acts as right or wrong but people as ethical
or unethical based on having good or bad character. The aim is to interpret people’s
particular actions within the context of their whole lives.
Virtue Ethics: expresses the idea that ethics is about having virtue, the quality of having a good
character. The flip side is having a vice, which is the quality of having a bad character.
Eudaimonistic theories are goal-oriented or teleological approaches to ethics that focus their
study on how to cultivate virtues to achieve the end of a well-lived life.
- eudaimonia is transliterated from an ancient Greek term that is sometimes rendered
“happiness,” “human flourishing,” or, as earlier, “a well-lived life.”
Doctrine of the Golden Mean: For Aristotle, a mark of virtue is to develop a disposition that is the
mean between two extremes
- Traits: honesty, kindness, temperance, loyalty, courage, tolerance, and forgiveness
- Vices: greed, arrogance, self-centeredness, impatience, untrustworthiness, envy,
disloyalty, and vanity
Character formation is about finding a disposition that appropriately balances reason and
emotions that can tilt too far in either direction.
Analyzing actions and institutions in terms of its good or bad consequences, in terms of fulfilling
specific ethical duties independent from consequences, or in terms of what leads to a well-lived
life.
Virtues then become habits of heart and mind that shape and lead to good actions
, Vice can also become a habit of the heart and mind to make poor choices that become
enjoyable.
Character is relevant not only for action, but for shaping the quality of relationships
Example: People who make buying purchases based on if company engages in corporate social
responsibility
A consequential-istexamines the overall effects of making decisions based on this information.
A deontologistexamines whether there are any ethical duties or rules that require that I consider
CSR practices in this way. The virtueethicist, on the other hand, examines whether living in
ways that take these ideas into account supports a good character or not.
Debates about corporate responsibility often lead to broader debates about the types of
motives people can and should expect from each other in their economic lives
advantageto shareholder theory is that it more realistically characterizes the motives
that most people bring to business and economic life.
Psychologicalegoismis:that people are motivated only by their self-interests.
Ethicalegoismis the normative view that people oughtto do whatever is in their
self-interests.
- long-term self-interest is best interpreted as the interests of the self, and that the
best way to respect our individuality is always to pursue these self-oriented
interests.
- Others criticize this normative argument on various grounds, emphasizing, the
importance of getting “outside” yourself by becoming immersed in a community
with others or by caring for others in ways that redefine or dissolve the egoistic
sense of self
Ch13.4
Ayn Rand emigrated from the former Soviet Union to the United States, writing a series of
novels and essays that have influenced generations of readers, CEOs, and politicians in their
attitudes about markets, capitalism, and how to make the most of life
Ethical Egoism: ethical egoism celebrates the interests of the self as the ultimate ground of
value and ethics
- As humans only source of knowledge, reason is the ultimate authority for determining
how to pursue one’s full potential
