1. “The only thing that can be good, without qualification, is an action performed solely because it is our duty.” (Boatright (2004) p52)

2. BAM321 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Session 4 Business and Management

3. Agenda for today Cohen article on clothing Kant’s theory of ethics An experiment Your issues

4. Theories Teleological –“Telos” – end, hence in these theories our judgments about actions depend on their consequences. Deontological –“Deon” – duty, hence in these theories our judgments about actions depend on whether they are consistent with our duties or obligations. Consequentialism

5. Consequentialist Hedonistic Maximalist Universalist Utilitarianism

6. Classical (act) utilitarianism. –An action is right if and only if it produces the greatest balance of pleasure over pain. Rule utilitarianism. –An action is right if and only if it conforms to a set of rules the general acceptance of which would produce the greatest balance of pleasure over pain. Types of utilitarianism

7. Work in groups of about four Discuss the Cohen article first –Maybe use the six thinking hats Task

8. What do you think is important about being human? Are we different to other creatures? Task Snowball!

9. Kant (1724-1804) Rationality. –This is what gives people a greater moral value than anything else in the world. The “specialness” of humans.

10. Kant (1724-1804) Reason is what enables humans to have free will, …. to be autonomous… To make moral choices. The “specialness” of humans - reason.

11. Theories Teleological –“Telos” – end, hence in these theories our judgments about actions depend on their consequences. Deontological –“Deon” – duty, hence in these theories our judgments about actions depend on whether they are consistent with our duties or obligations. Immanuel Kant

12. Kant (1724-1804) The only thing that can be good, without qualification, is an action performed solely because it is our duty. (Boatright (2004) p52)

13. Kant (1724-1804) Hypothetical imperatives –Practical arguments in favour of a recommendation Categorical imperatives –Moral arguments in favour of a recommendation Two uses of the word “ought”

14. Kant (1724-1804) 1.Only act on rules that you would be willing to see everyone follow 2.Act so that you treat all humans always as an end and never as a means only The categorical imperative

15. Kant (1724-1804) What is immoral leads to disorder and chaos. But it’s not this consequence that matters, it’s the fact that what is immoral is irrational and makes nonsense of the action. Kant’s approach is not consequentialist.

16. The lying promise A person is in desperate need of money. Should he/she ask someone to lend them money with a promise to pay it back but with no intention of honouring the promise?

17. The lying promise The Kantian argument is that if the maxim associated with the action were universalised, then no one would ever loan money to anyone. The action becomes nonsensical!

18. What issues do Kant’s ideas raise for business? Task

19. Issues for thought Slavery. Child labour. What would utilitarian thinking say about these? And applying Kant’s categorical imperative?

20. Kant (1724-1804) 1.Only act on rules that you would be willing to see everyone follow. 2.Act so that you treat all humans always as an end and never as a means only. 3.Act as if you were a member of an ideal kingdom of ends in which you were both subject and sovereign. The categorical imperative.

21. Inter-session tasks Read about Kantian ethtics, eg Boatright ch.3 and see the links on the website Keep logging! See the website for more