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Ethical Immunity in Business: A Response to Two Arguments

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Abstract

In this paper I examine the claim that businesspersons have what might be called "ethical immunity" with respect to the duty not to deceive. According to this ethical immunity claim, businesspersons are exempt from the ordinary ethical prohibition against deception; and widespread business deception is therefore ethically permissible. I focus on two arguments for the claim. One of the arguments, which has been presented by Albert Carr, relies upon an analogy between business on the one hand, and games in which deception is permitted, on the other. The second argument is based upon the notion that exceptions to ethical duties may sometimes be justified on prudential grounds. In response to the arguments, I try to show that neither one provides strong support for the ethical immunity claim.

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  1. Room 283, Faculty Center, Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX, 78412, U.S.A.

    Andrew Piker

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  1. Andrew Piker
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Piker, A. Ethical Immunity in Business: A Response to Two Arguments. Journal of Business Ethics 36, 337–346 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014423802825

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014423802825

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