The German Enlightenment & the teaching of business ethicsin China

Dr Robert ShawGraduate School of BusinessGuangdong University of Foreign Studies

28 March 2013

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Agenda1. Business ethics as the development of

skills

2. The skills of business ethics

3. Kant & the German Enlightenment

4. Kant & China

Abstract

Although he died over two-hundred years ago, the Prussian philosopher Immanuel Kant is still pivotal in business ethics courses globally. His works on ethics - tracts which consider the moral imperative, universal laws, concepts of freedom, moral autonomy, and the use of reason - are indelibly a part of the foundations of modern Western ethics. Consequently, students grapple with Kantian ideas and apply them to business cases.

Kant was involved in the development of modern science and he was the first to seriously address the relationship between science and moral decision-making. The presentation argues there is congruence between the German Enlightenment and modern China which reflects in the ethical reasoning of Kant and the people of China.

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1. Business ethics as the development of skills

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CurriculumWhat you teach

Confused thinking about

Knowledge / understanding / skills

Theory / practice

How you learn skills

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CurriculumWhat you teach

The nature of skills

Cognitive (thinking) skillsRationality

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2. The skills of business ethics

The theory of ethics (which you apply to business situations)

Classical Greek theory

Aristotle’s theory (virtue ethics)

Deontology

Utilitarianism

Cognitive skills

SituationProvides the cases &

issues

TheoryWestern ethicsChinese ethics

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3. Kant & the German Enlightenment

Deontology

Difficult for students

Some leading premisesThe importance of the

WillMoral autonomy (compare heteronomy)The ethics of duty

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Immanuel Kant

Born 1724

Died 1804

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The German Enlightenment

1784

Rationality

Enlightened public

Freedom

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Immanuel Kant

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4. Kant & China

Community

Authority

Education system

Systems of employment

Thank you