Chapter 1 - Intro to Business Ethics

Philosophy

A systematised body of thought all about matters of right and wrong and is the route to wisdom.

Wisdom

“Experience and knowledge judiciously applied”

Ideas are wise if they are sensibly and insightfully derived from our observations of how the world is, and from our understanding of why it is that way.

Moral Philosophy

A sub-discipline within philosophy that enhances our critical thinking skills.

Moral

Describes an act which meets a moral standard.

Descrives the exceeding of a moral standard (Supererogatory)

Immoral

An act or a characteristic that falls short of the standard established by some moral principle

Amoral

No moral standard is applicable

Descriptive Ethics

Describes a person’s or a group’s moral judgements (believe it is wrong to eat meat). These claims can be tested empirically - thus determine if they are true by studying the relevant people (observations).

Normative Ethics

Prescribed moral judgements (it is wrong to eat meat). Cannot be tested and establish truth on their own (more insight is needed) but aims to help each of us know “what we should do” and how we should be.

Objective fact

A fact where Its truth is independent of what we or anyone else things about it

Emotivists

Believe that they can explain moral claims without using the language of ethics. Believe that moral claims are nothing more than expressions of feelings.

Moral Relativists

They accept that moral facts exist but believe that what makes these facts true are people believing them to be true.

Descriptive Relativism

The claim that the culture we were born into determines what ethical beliefs we have.

Normative Relativism

Says that what one should think is determined by my beliefs in my cultural surroundings.

Denies that morality or ethics is objective and depends on one’s culture.

Doctrine of Divine

Moral facts are only true by virtue of being in accordance with God’s will.