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Occupational Safety And Paternalism: Machan Revisited, Earl W. Spurgin
Occupational Safety And Paternalism: Machan Revisited, Earl W. Spurgin
Earl W. Spurgin
In 1987, Machan provided a libertarian case against the right to occupational safety. Since before Machan’s essay appeared, many business ethicists and legal scholars have given considerable attention to the overall position Machan endorses: the acceptance of employment at will and the rejection of employee rights. No one yet has given adequate attention, however, to the fact that Machan’s argument against the right to occupational safety actually stands or falls independently of his overall position on employee rights. His argument ultimately rests on two values: the promotion of employee interests and anti-paternalism. Insofar as those who support the right to …
The Goals And Merits Of A Business Ethics Competency Exam, Earl W. Spurgin
The Goals And Merits Of A Business Ethics Competency Exam, Earl W. Spurgin
Earl W. Spurgin
My university recently established a business ethics competency exam for graduate business students. The exam is designed to test whether students can demonstrate several abilities that are indicative of competency in business ethics. They are the abilities to "speak the language" of business ethics, identify business ethics issues, apply theories and concepts to issues, identify connections among theories and concepts as they relate to different issues, and construct and critically evaluate arguments for various positions on business ethics issues. Through this paper, I hope to begin a discussion among business ethicists about both the merits of a competency exam and …
Ethics: Contemporary Readings, Edited By Harry J. Gensler, Earl W. Spurgin, And James C. Swindal, Harry Gensler, S.J., Earl Spurgin, James Swindal
Ethics: Contemporary Readings, Edited By Harry J. Gensler, Earl W. Spurgin, And James C. Swindal, Harry Gensler, S.J., Earl Spurgin, James Swindal
Earl W. Spurgin
No abstract provided.
Looking For Answers In All The Wrong Places, Earl Spurgin
Looking For Answers In All The Wrong Places, Earl Spurgin
Earl W. Spurgin
In recent years, many business ethicists have raised problems with the "ethics pays" credo. Despite these problems, many continue to hold it. I argue that support for the credo leads business ethicists away from a potentially fruitful approach found in Hume's moral philosophy. I begin by demonstrating that attempts to support the credo fail because proponents are trying to provide an answer to the "Why be moral?" question that is based on rational self-interest. Then, I show that Hume's sentiments-based moral theory provides an alternative to the credo that points toward a more fruitful approach to business ethics. Along the …