Abstract
Virtue ethics, especially of the sort laid out by Aristotle, differs from Kantian and utilitarian ethics in a number of respects. But one key respect overlooked thus far is the aesthetic or sensual dimension of virtuous actions. There are at least four senses in which the ethical is intrinsically aesthetic. Each of the four has implications for business ethics.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aristotle (1956) Nicomachean ethics (trans: Rackham H). Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, Loeb edition
Confucius (1938) Book of rites (trans: Yutang L). In: The wisdom of Confucius. Modern Library, New York
Confucius (2012) Analects (trans: Legge J). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Danto A (1994) Beauty and morality. In: Embodied meanings: critical essays and aesthetic meditations. Farrar Straus Giroux, New York, pp 363–375
Dobson J (1999) The art of management and the aesthetic manager: the coming way of business. Quorum Books, Westport
Goozner M (1996) The mensch of Malden Mills inspires in an era of Wall Street-mandated downsizing, Aaron Feuerstein’s actions after his plant burned inspired a rarity: worker loyalty. Chicago Tribune, 26 Dec
Guyer P (2005) Values of beauty: historical essays in aesthetics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Hartman E (1996) Organizational ethics and the good life. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Kant I (1988) Foundations of the metaphysics of morals. In: Beck LW (ed) Kantian selections. Macmillan, New York
Koehn D, Elm D (2013) Aesthetics and business ethics. Springer, Amsterdam
Petrochilos G (2002) Kalok’agathia: the ethical basis of Hellenic political economy and its influence from Plato to Ruskin and Sen. Hist Polit Econ 34(3):599–631
Plato (1993) The symposium (trans: Allen RE). Yale University Press, New Haven
Wood A (forthcoming) Kant on conscience. In: Kalinnikov L (ed) Kanotvski Sbornik
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this entry
Cite this entry
Koehn, D. (2017). Aesthetic Dimensions of Virtue Ethics: Implications for Business Ethics. In: Sison, A., Beabout, G., Ferrero, I. (eds) Handbook of Virtue Ethics in Business and Management. International Handbooks in Business Ethics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6510-8_111
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6510-8_111
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-6509-2
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-6510-8
eBook Packages: Religion and PhilosophyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Humanities