Business Ethics

Recent financial disasters have once again reminded us of the need for business ethics. The main objective of this course is to explore this need by assessing the wide variety of moral opinions on appropriate business conduct that have been voiced by philosophers, economists, public intellectuals, journalists, and business persons. In this course we concentrate on specific areas where business and ethics intersect, such as the environment, animal rights, sales, advertising, whistle-blowing, employment equity, downsizing, and the arts. Special emphasis is also paid to the issue of good character, as we explore the extent to which business must rely upon virtues like honesty and integrity.