William James on Meliorism, Moral Ideals, and Business Ethics

Teaching experiments are valuable when it comes to sensitizing students for business ethics that addresses the behavior of agents in modern societies. Many students are coined by the often predominantly individualistic ethical reasoning that they are accustomed to from their living environments. In our classes, we confront them with the volatility of their own ethical behavior by the use of experiments that ideally work with real incentives. We believe experiments to be a powerful tool not only to illustrate theoretical concepts, but also to make students experience the compulsion of economic incentives first-hand. This may lead to the insight that one is more prone to the contingencies of the situation than expected. Experiments may make students question their own behavior and re-evaluate the implementability of their moral ideals - as consumers, citizens and managers.

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Paradigmatic foundation and moral axioms of ihsan ethics in Islamic economics and business

Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research ◽

10.1108/jiabr-12-2016-0146 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 288-308 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Necati Aydin

Keyword(s):

Business Ethics ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Islamic Ethics ◽

Ethical Problems ◽

Content Type ◽

Root Cause ◽

Strong Case ◽

Moral Ideals ◽

Islamic Business Ethics ◽

Moral Axioms

Purpose This paper aims to explore the root cause of growing gap in Islamic moral ideals and practices by examining paradigmatic foundation and moral axioms of Islamic business ethics. It compares and contrasts Tawhidi and secular paradigms in terms of their moral axioms and ethical mandates. Design/methodology/approach The paper first presents the paradigmatic foundation of Islamic ethics, namely, ihsan ethics. Second, it compares Tawhidi paradigm of Islam with secular paradigm in respect to their ontological, axiological, anthropological and teleological differences. Third, it links to Islamic moral axioms to the relevant paradigmatic pillars. Fourth, it defines “ihsan ethics” based on Tawhidi paradigm and moral axioms. Finally, it sheds some light on the gap between moral ideals and realities through the theory of ihsan ethics. Findings The paper attempts to provide strong conceptual and theoretical tools to understand ethical problems in the Muslim societies. The paper makes a strong case that Muslim minds shall be de-secularized to perceive the reality, truth and telos within Tawhidi worldview. As Muslims reach the level of ihsan by perceiving transcendental reality, they are likely to practice what they preach. Originality/value The paper proposes “ihsan ethics” based on Tawhidi worldview and Islamic moral axioms.

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Assessing William James' Potential Contribution to Business Ethics

Praxiology and Pragmatism ◽

10.4324/9781351324045-10 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 193-208

Author(s):

Dennis P. McCann

Keyword(s):

Business Ethics ◽

William James ◽

Potential Contribution

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Can Quantitative Research Solve Social Problems? Pragmatism and the Ethics of Social Research

Journal of Business Ethics ◽

10.1007/s10551-019-04196-7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 167 (1) ◽

pp. 41-48 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Thomas C. Powell

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Business Ethics ◽

Racial Inequality ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Social Problems ◽

William James ◽

Social Research ◽

Ethical Practices ◽

James I ◽

Journal Of Business Ethics

Abstract Journal of Business Ethics recently published a critique of ethical practices in quantitative research by Zyphur and Pierides (J Bus Ethics 143:1–16, 2017). The authors argued that quantitative research prevents researchers from addressing urgent problems facing humanity today, such as poverty, racial inequality, and climate change. I offer comments and observations on the authors’ critique. I agree with the authors in many areas of philosophy, ethics, and social research, while making suggestions for clarification and development. Interpreting the paper through the pragmatism of William James, I suggest that the authors’ arguments are unlikely to change attitudes in traditional quantitative research, though they may point the way to a new worldview, or Jamesian “sub-world,” in social research.

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A pragmatist philosophy of psychological science and its implications for replication

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x18000626 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 41 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ana Gantman ◽

Robin Gomila ◽

Joel E. Martinez ◽

J. Nathan Matias ◽

Elizabeth Levy Paluck ◽

...

Keyword(s):

William James ◽

Mental Processes ◽

Psychological Science ◽

Behavioral Measurement ◽

The World ◽

Pragmatist Philosophy

AbstractA pragmatist philosophy of psychological science offers to the direct replication debate concrete recommendations and novel benefits that are not discussed in Zwaan et al. This philosophy guides our work as field experimentalists interested in behavioral measurement. Furthermore, all psychologists can relate to its ultimate aim set out by William James: to study mental processes that provide explanations for why people behave as they do in the world.

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