Related Discipline: Philosophy cross listed with PHIL 350

It is the aim of “Business, Ethics and Politics” class to enable students to think through the philosophical character of some of the problems we all face and that have to do with the contemporary forms of business and to enable all of us to do philosophy together.

We will examine some of the standard issues in Business Ethics and Politics and will take a look at what deeper philosophical problems (both ethical and political) lie at the source of these issues. The main form of Business we will be concerned with is the Corporate form of Business in capitalism.

Among other things, you will have the chance to attend guest Philosophy lectures as well as the opportunity to interview:
– a corporate lawyer
– a representative of a corporation
– a representative of an NGO, and
– a representative of alternative economies and activists

In this class you will be able to:
1. Familiarize yourselves with fundamental ethical and political philosophical theories.
2. Appreciate how philosophical theories help us frame problems arising from the activity and the nature of contemporary forms of business.
3. Consider alternative solutions to these business problems, and finally,
4. Consider alternative forms of business which attempt to solve these problems.