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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Is Ethics Rational? Teleological, Deontological and Virtue Ethics Theories Reconciled in the Context of Traditional Economic Decision Making

Ilona Baumane-vitolinaIgo CalsErika Sumilo

subject

EthicsVirtue ethicsNormative ethics05 social sciencesPerspective (graphical)Economic DecisionGeneral EngineeringEnergy Engineering and Power TechnologyContext (language use)Meta-ethicsRationalityEpistemologyTeleologyLawInformation ethics0502 economics and businessEconomics050211 marketing050203 business & management

description

Abstract This article examines the most prominent ethical theories from the view point of economic rationality. Authors argue that utilitarian perspective which used to be connected with classical concepts of rationality in economics is not the only approach to understand reasoning behind the human behaviour. Moreover, Virtue ethics developed by Aristotle more than 2000 years ago, gives modern perspective to the questions of morale and ethics, connecting individuals to broader communities and explaining their motivation and actions. Similarly, deontological theories that from the first sight might seem as contradicting to rational choice, explain human behaviour when examined at the macro level of analysis. This conceptual analysis concludes that various elements from different theories on ethics are able to provide more profound model of reasons behind human behaviour in comparison to basic assumptions in classical economics.

10.1016/s2212-5671(16)30249-0http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2212-5671(16)30249-0