Business Ethics 2nd Quarter

MORAL
OBJECTIVISM
Torres | 12- Lawin (ABM)
Points of Discussion

1. Define and discuss

Moral Objectivism 3. Universal Objective
Moral Principles

Differentiate Moral

2. 4.
Moral Objectivism in
Skepticism and Moral
Relation to Business
Objectivism
 MORAL
OBJECTIVISM
Moral objectivism maintains that there
are moral principles that have universal
validity regardless of time, place, and
culture.

The moral objectivist claims that morality is

neither subjective nor culturally relative.
Rather, it is objective in the sense that there
are ethical principles that are common in all
societies.
Norman Bowie Russ Shafer- James Rachels
Landau
More of

Moral Objectivism
Bowie cites that every society and culture agrees that the torture and murder
of the innocent are morally unacceptable. It is important to remember that if
accused of these acts, no country would reply by saying that there is nothing
wrong with it. Its leaders would simply deny it or point an accusing finger to
other leaders who commit the same acts.

In addition, Bowie observes that almost all peoples of the world make efforts
to come up with codes of conduct that are supposed to be implemented
anywhere on this planet. Some of these codes include: the United Nations
(UN) Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on
Human Rights, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Deployment
(OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, and the UN
Conduct on Transnational Corporations. These moves reveal the possibility
that various groups of people can sense commonalities and agreements
despite differences. Moreover, we can mention how the various major
religions of the world discussed in the previous chapter have some
commonalities even if there are real and probably irreconcilable differences
among them.
Skepticism vs. Objectivism
 Moral
Skepticism
Moral Skepticism is simply the belief that morality is
subjective.

Moral skeptics believe that there is no objective

universal standard for morality.

In Rudd Shafer Landau’s book “Whatever happened to Good

and Evil?” He describes moral skeptics to be: “full of outrage
at moments, in other times just as full of reservations about
the status of our moral condemnations.” His term for this is
“Morally Schizophrenic”.
Universal Objective
Moral Principles
For his part, Rachels also argues that there are some values
common to all cultures and thus render moral objectivism to be
the more feasible theory.

For one, Imagine if a society does not prohibit killing of its

members. It will be a chaotic society; it is bound to disintegrate and
become extinct. In other words, it will not survive.

Therefore,
+
Universal Objective
Moral Principles
1 "Do not kill" is a moral precept that is not relative to a culture;
rather, it is objective and common to all cultures. If ever there are
groups of people that seem to be accepting of the taking of lives of
people such as the headhunters of various tribes, it must be seen
as exception rather than the rule. Furthermore, one may notice that
within the headhunting societies, they do not allow the murder of
their kind. Thus, they also recognize the inherent value of human
life at least within their societies. Any group of people that does not
value the life of its innocent members by not making a prohibition on
murder is bound to become extinct. "The prohibition against murder,
then, is a necessary feature of society."
 + + +

+ + +
Universal Objective
Moral Principles
2 “Communicate Truthfully”- Rachels also argues that the moral
precept of truth-telling is another objective value common to all
cultures. Imagine a society whose members are not governed by truth-
telling. They may talk with each other but, surely, they will not trust
each other's words. Communication would eventually become
meaningless. The members of this society would find relationships as
useless. The society would finally disintegrate. Thus, "communicate
truthfully" is a moral standard that is common to all societies.
"There may, of course, be situations in which lying is thought to be
okay. No matter. The society will still value honesty."
+ + +

+ + +
Universal Objective
Moral Principles
3 “Caring for your offspring”- Furthermore, the moral value of
caring for your offspring instead of killing them is common in all
groups of people. Imagine again a community that does not require
the parents to care for their children. This community will not
continue to exist because its very survival is dependent on the
fundamental value of the propagation and transmission of its kind.
"This means that any culture that continues to exist must care for its
young. Infants who are not cared for must be the exception rather than
the rule."
+ +

+
Universal Objective
Moral Principles
4 “Do not steal”- Aside from the values that Rachels mentioned, we
can further add the value of the protection of personal property.
Every society also values personal property so that specific laws
that prohibit stealing and theft are instituted. Again, "do not steal"
transcends the boundaries of cultures, religions and territories.
Imagine how chaotic a society would be if there is no law on the
protection of your own belongings; and as illustrated on the above
examples, a chaotic society is bound to disintegrate.
Moral Objectivism in
Relation to Business
Absolutist/ Imperialist Objectivist
On the other hand, moral objectivism
However, it is important to note that
acknowledges that a moral principle can be
the moral objectivist is not overridden by another value given specific
necessarily a rigid moral absolutist circumstances. Thus, even though truth-
who has the tendency to become a telling is an objective value common to all
moral imperialist always ready to societies and culture, it is not absolute
exclaim: "Our culture is the best, and because there are instances that a person is
even morally obliged to tell a lie or to
you had better conform." Moral
withhold the truth.
absolutism does not accept The preservation of life is an
exceptions to ethical rules under any objective and transcultural value but it can
circumstance or situation. Moral be overridden by another value.
imperialism is the attitude of imposing Generally speaking, stealing is
wrong but there may be circumstances
one's values to another society.
when you are allowed to take the food from
another's table. The same can be said
about all objective moral principles.
Moral Objectivism in
Relation to Business
And so, the main reason why these values of care for the offspring,
protection of the life of the innocent, truth-telling, and respect
for private property are transcultural and objective is because these
values are essential for the continuous survival of the society.

“Many believe that the purpose of morality is to help make

social cooperation possible. Moral principles are universally
necessary for that endeavor."
Moral Objectivism in
Relation to Business
The task of each person whether you are an ethics scholar, a business
professional, or a common person, is to always weigh which objective moral
principle overrides another objective moral principle given specific
circumstances of daily living.

Hence, to the question of what the basis of goodness is, the moral objectivist
would reject the idea that goodness is ultimately based on the individual or that it
ultimately rests on the culture. Rather, the rightness or wrongness of an act
ultimately lies on universal ethical principles that humanity has discovered,
developed, and cultivated for it to survive, to have meaningful existence,
and to form a more humane community of persons.
One of the aims of business ethics is to discover, apply, and improve objective moral
principles so that a businessman who goes from one culture to the other may find the
right balance between objectivity of values and respect toward another culture.
Thank
you!