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Aristotle in the Anthropocene : the comparative benefits of Aristotelian virtue ethics over Utilitarianism and deontology
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Morrell, Kevin and Dahlmann, Frederik (2023) Aristotle in the Anthropocene : the comparative benefits of Aristotelian virtue ethics over Utilitarianism and deontology. The Anthropocene Review, 10 (3). pp. 615-635. doi:10.1177/20530196221105093 ISSN 2053-0196.
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Official URL: http://doi.org/10.1177/20530196221105093
Abstract
In the Anthropocene, humanity faces a pressing question: ‘what should we do?’ Here we are interested in the underlying sense and reference of the normative ‘should’ as it applies to ethics with respect to different actors. To excavate ‘should’, we unearth the foundations of three conventional groupings of normative ethical systems: Mill’s utilitarianism, Kantian deontological ethics and Aristotelian virtue ethics. Each provides a normative basis for saying what humans ‘should’ do. We draw on specific examples from the private sector to argue that debates on the role of ethics in business are dominated by consequentialist and deontological accounts which, while essential, entail certain limitations regarding the realities of this new geological epoch. Identifying the comparative benefits of Aristotelian virtue ethics enables us to develop new insights and suggestions for ethics in the Anthropocene. We identify three distinctive features of Aristotelian virtue ethics: (i) a focus on agents rather than acts, (ii) a distinction between laws and customs versus nature and (iii) the importance of tradition. We set out corresponding implications for ethics and sustainability as applied to the private sector.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||||||
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Subjects: | G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory |
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Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Warwick Business School > Strategy & International Business Faculty of Social Sciences > Warwick Business School |
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Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Nature -- Effect of human beings on, Human ecology, Human behavior, Aristotle -- Ethics, Economics -- Moral and ethical aspects, Virtues | ||||||||
Journal or Publication Title: | The Anthropocene Review | ||||||||
Publisher: | Sage Publications Ltd. | ||||||||
ISSN: | 2053-0196 | ||||||||
Official Date: | December 2023 | ||||||||
Dates: |
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Volume: | 10 | ||||||||
Number: | 3 | ||||||||
Number of Pages: | 21 | ||||||||
Page Range: | pp. 615-635 | ||||||||
DOI: | 10.1177/20530196221105093 | ||||||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||||||
Access rights to Published version: | Open Access (Creative Commons open licence) | ||||||||
Date of first compliant deposit: | 23 August 2022 | ||||||||
Date of first compliant Open Access: | 23 August 2022 |
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