Ethical Philosophy

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Ethical Philosophy

In philosophy, moral relativism is the position that moral or ethical propositions do not reflect absolute or universal truths but instead are relative to social, cultural, historical or personal references, and that there is no single standard by which to assess an ethical proposition's truth. Relativistic positions often see moral values as applicable only within certain cultural boundaries or the context of individual preferences (Moral Relativism). An extreme relativist position might suggest that it is meaningless for the moral or ethical judgments or acts of one person or group to be judged by another, though most relativists propound a more limited version of the theory. This essay will discuss various kinds of ethics and the people who define them.

What is ethics? The word ethics is derived from the Greek work ethos, which refers to the character and sentiment of the community and standards of behavior (wikipedia.com).

Any group can set its own ethical standards and then live by them or not. Ethical standards, whether established by an individual, a corporation, a profession, or a nation, help guide a person's decisions and actions. The commonly accepted definition of ethics is rules or standards that govern behavior and decision-making.

Virtue ethics descends from the classical Hellenistic tradition represented by Plato and Aristotle, in which the cultivation of virtuous traits of character is viewed as morality's primary function. I believe that virtue ethics is a moral philosophy best suited for making business decisions. Most theories do not emphasize the agents or actors who perform actions, have motives, and follow principles. We all make judgments about good and evil persons whether it is consciously or subconsciously. I think you can tell a lot about a corporation when you look at the people within...