Business Ethics

Review Set for business ethics final

Utilitarianism

increase human happiness and reduce suffering

Common Sense Ethical Pluralism

seeks to achieve a balance of happiness, justice, and freedom

Rights Based Ethics

(main ethical obligation isn’t) main ethical demand is acting within our own rights and accord other people theirs

The Categorical Imperative

“act as if the maxim of your action, that is the principle of conduct underlying the action, were to become through your will a universal law of nature”

Means to our Ends

according to Kant; we should not treat people as means to something else but end in themselves (a or b)

Virtue Ethics

we figure out what actions ethical people do, rather than figuring out which people are actually ethical by the fact that they do ethical actions

Argument

a series of interconnected statements intended to establish a proposition

Claim/Proposition

a sentence that can be either true or false

Premise

a claim or proposition that is assumed in an argument

Conclusion

the claim or proposition that is intended to be established in an argument

Issue

question/problem about whether a given claim/proposition is true or false

Valid

if premises are true, conclusion in guaranteed to be true

Sound

premises are true, argument is valid

Conclusion Signals

therefore, thus, so, hence, consequently, in conclusion, ergo, Q.E.D, it follows that

Premise Signals

because, since, for, on account of, in view of, on the grounds, assuming that

Ethical Persepctives

deontology, utilitarianism, rights-based ethics, virtue ethics, common-sense ethical pluarlism

A Theory of Justice

justice as fairness, original position/initial situation, rationality, the veil of ignorance, two resulting principles

2 principles of justice

Rawls; 1. each person has equal right to the most extensive basic liberty compatible with a similar liberty for others; 2. social and economic inequalities are arranged so they are both reasonably expected to be everyone’s advantage and attached to positions and offices open to all

be-rules

be just, kind, and honest

do-rules

keep your promises

sound ethical view should account for

happiness, freedom, and justice