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Chapter 4: Moral Virtues and Ethical Decisions

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Business Ethics: Kant, Virtue, and the Nexus of Duty

Part of the book series: Springer Texts in Business and Economics ((STBE))

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Abstract

Virtue ethics is an ancient subject primarily established by Aristotle and the Stoics. The ancients considered that development of personal virtue was necessary to achieve a life of “contentment,” and this is certainly relevant for the lives of modern managers, and their business interactions. This chapter distinguishes between personal moral virtues, and ethical managerial decisions. It examines the question, “Might virtuous managers still make unethical decisions?” In addition, the set of virtues required of management to implement a program of “harmony in pursuit of a moral community” is reviewed. An explanation of how this program establishes constraints on the pursuit of shareholder wealth (the profit motive) is also reviewed.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This refers to the rules of modern moral-deontology.

  2. 2.

    See Slote (1995, pp. 900–901) for a review of this “dispositional” interpretation of “virtue.” Recently, White (2016, p.95) also uses this “dispositional” view.

  3. 3.

    See Fontrodona, Sison, and de Bruin (2013) for a symposium of articles on virtue ethics and business.

  4. 4.

    See Annas (1993, p. 7).

  5. 5.

    See Kant (1797, 6:379–413).

  6. 6.

    See Robinson (2016).

  7. 7.

    Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah comes to mind. See Genesis 18–19.

  8. 8.

    See Cooper (1980, pp. 301–340) and Robinson (2016). The latter argues that this pursuit of friendships of virtue is appropriate, and perhaps necessary for business.

  9. 9.

    See Annas (1993).

  10. 10.

    See Irwin (2011, Chapter 23, pp. 588–590), for this application of the concept of “unity theory, termed by Irwin as “reciprocal virtue.” This list is briefly explored by Yuengert (2016, p. 169), and in more detail by Irwin (2011, Chapter 23, pp. 588–627).

  11. 11.

    See Bertland (2009).

  12. 12.

    See Annas (1993) for a detailed review of this “unity theory,” i.e., that all virtues must be pursued as a unified group or the eudaimonic goal would be frustrated. Also see McPherson (2013).

  13. 13.

    See De Bruin (2013, pp. 583–595).

  14. 14.

    See Virens et al. (2016).

  15. 15.

    See Dawson and Bartholomew (2003).

  16. 16.

    Eudaimonism is explored in more detail below, but this “inclination towards moral goodness” is similar to the philosophy-theology of St. Augustine (see Ashby 1997, Chapter 4 especially pp. 180–184, and also Thomas Aquinas see Ibid, pp. 226–244).

  17. 17.

    See Robinson (2016), and also Annas (1993) for a full explanation of this aspect of virtue ethics.

  18. 18.

    See Annas (1993) and Robinson (2016) for this dynamic view of the development of personal characteristics.

  19. 19.

    Rose (2016), Becker (2016), and Solomon, (1993) are examples.

  20. 20.

    See Annas (1993, pp. 99–101).

  21. 21.

    See chapter “The Categorical Imperative Process and Moral Duties”.

  22. 22.

    See Robinson (2017) and Sullivan (1997) for full descriptions of the functioning of the CIP.

  23. 23.

    For illustration purposes, Kant (1785, 4:421–423) derived a set of four maxims from the formula of universal law: maxims against suicide, the lying promise, indolence, and for charitable benevolence with practical limitations.

  24. 24.

    Also see Sullivan (1997, pp. 84–87) for a review similar to Korsgarrd’s.

  25. 25.

    See Robinson (2016) for this argument concerning Kant’s third formula.

  26. 26.

    The Rawlsian conditions reviewed here were also reviewed in Robinson (2017).

  27. 27.

    These criteria are also reviewed and utilized in later chapters.

  28. 28.

    Note that in this analysis, Rawls differentiates a virtue ethics approach (the criteria required to be a moral judge) from a deontology approach (the ex post criteria of a moral decision).

  29. 29.

    This section draws on Robinson (2016).

  30. 30.

    See Kant (1797, 6:471) and Cooper (1980).

  31. 31.

    See Kant (1797, 6:470–474).

  32. 32.

    In business, these byproducts are not an illusion, but are definitely tangible.

  33. 33.

    This section draws on Robinson (2017).

  34. 34.

    See O’Neill (1989, p. 48).

  35. 35.

    See O’Neill (1989, p. 45) and Korsgaard (1996, pp. 325–349).

  36. 36.

    This section draws from Robinson (2017).

  37. 37.

    See Yuengert (2016) for a brief review of these Thomastic virtues. See Irwin (2011, Chapter 23, pp. 588–627) for a detailed review of Aquinas’ exegesis of virtue.

  38. 38.

    See Kant (1797, 6:377–378).

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Supplementary Readings

  • Annas (1993) presents an accessible and comprehensive review of virtue ethics, the major theme of which was to achieve a type of contentment—or happiness—through one’s personally developed virtues, and through periodic reflection concerning one’s life and direction.

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  1. Business Administration, SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia, NY, USA

    Richard M. Robinson

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Robinson, R.M. (2022). Chapter 4: Moral Virtues and Ethical Decisions. In: Business Ethics: Kant, Virtue, and the Nexus of Duty. Springer Texts in Business and Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85997-8_4

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