Our course concludes with readings on self-interest gone wrong - morally wrong.
We began with self-interest and what it can do right.
Therefore, these last readings should not be seen as damnations of self-interest. Rather, they are sign posts of the boarders between self-interest and morality. The two overlap to a large extent, but not completely. Much ink has been spent trying to show how, indeed, rational long-term self-interest is perfectly compatible with respecting property rights. The fact is, not one has succeeded. A great article on this that I could not get for the class this time is Gregory Kavka's "The Reconciliation Project".
I want you to look at these limits so that you ask yourself the very real question - What do I want out of (business)ethics? If it is to persuade others to do the right thing, then you will have some success, but it will be limited. If, on the other hand, it is to guide your own life and actions you will probably have more success. But hubris is the Achilles'heel of us all and temptation takes many forms.
On this point I think Tolkein was wiser than many ethical theorists - No one can use the ring.
Bill
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3 comments:
Gregory Kavka's "The Reconciliation Project"
After reading your blog and The Reconciliation Project by Gregory Kavka, I think that he made some good points in his article about the four dimensions, which is my favorite part in the article, and comparing,constrasting it with Hobbes. The four dimensions that represented The Reconciliation Project are audience, agent, social one, and object. When I was reading through and learning about the four dimensions and comparing it to Hobbes, he actual relates to all of the dimensions. From how I defined the dimensions in the article, Hobbes self-interest was internal sanctions, where his self-interest reflects on positive (audience) and negative (agent) and outcomes.
C.Shelby
Another part in your last paragraph asked:
"What do I want out of (business) ethics? and goes on from their. What I would want out of business ethics is to guide my own life and actions because I would be responsible for myself. By doing the right thing, not causing problems with other co-workers, and not bringing a negative impact into the workforce. I would describe myself as a hard worker because I'm type of person who would think about life and actions before pursuing anthing that's important or not important. What I mean by this is that the other question on persuading others to do the right thing and have some success, I would definitely support other co-workers, but I wouldn't come to work to babysit them and do things that are not allowed in a workplace, such as illegal drugs, alcohol, or stealing. I would say that in a business industry, some people are crooks and would be motivated to do anything that is wrong without trying to get caught up.
C.Shelby
I just discovered that Tolkien got the ring from Plato - The Republic!
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