The regulation of virtue: Cross-currents in professional ethics

This paper argues that more attention should be paid to the civic functions of ethical discourse about the professions and to the moral virtues inherent in their practice and traditions. The ability of professional ethics to articulate civic ideals and virtues is discussed in relation to three issue...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of business ethics
Main Author: Jennings, Bruce (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Springer Science + Business Media B. V 1991
In: Journal of business ethics
Year: 1991, Volume: 10, Issue: 8, Pages: 561-568
Further subjects:B Professional Ethic
B Moral Responsibility
B Social Condition
B Ethical Conduct
B Economic Growth
Online Access: Volltext (JSTOR)
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Description
Summary:This paper argues that more attention should be paid to the civic functions of ethical discourse about the professions and to the moral virtues inherent in their practice and traditions. The ability of professional ethics to articulate civic ideals and virtues is discussed in relation to three issues. First, should professional ethics aim to enlighten ethical understanding or to motivate ethical conduct? Second, how should professional ethics define the professional's moral responsibilities in the face of ethical dilemmas — should the professional attempt to resolve the dilemma ethically or to change the social conditions that create the dilemma in the first place? The third issue discussed in the paper is whether professional ethics should be based on the model of regulation and rational self-interest or on the model of virtue and a fundamental personal commitment to the ideal of a certain form of life? In order for work in professional ethics to attain intellectual credibility among a non-philosophical audience, it must develop a coherent and convincing position on each of these issues.
ISSN:1573-0697
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of business ethics
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1007/BF00382873