Ethics: An Introduction
The pre-modern, the modern and
the post modern
The Pre-modern world (~1770-1870~)
This worldview sees the universe and all in it as
interconnected through a great chain of being held
together by and under “God”, Tradition guides
The Modern world (~1870-1970~)
This worldview sees rationality, discoverable pattern and
quantifiable relationships at the core of things
The Post-modern world (~1970-current)
The more we know, the closer we come to realizing how
unpredictable, ephemeral, uncontrollable and chaotic is
the very nature of order we use to provide us with the
illusion of stability, order and control
The Pre-modern world
Nature
God acts indirectly in nature through natural
laws. God provides and God denies. Nature is
beneficial as well as source of trial; punitive.
Society
Rooted in tradition and sacred laws interpreted
from fundamental texts. One remains in social
role to which one is born; that is the will of
god. Local orientation. One engages in
changing the world by appealing to those in
authority who control what is allowed and
prohibited in social life. Hierarchical and
xenophobic
Person
Made of body and soul. A child of “god”. Life on
earth is struggle to overcome sin through faith
Work
In work, use energies to save soul, serve “god” and
build community therefore renunciation of pleasure
For business, this
means…

The concerns of business are tied to a
series of known and agreed upon
doctrines, often originating in religious
practices and beliefs. Those who
violate the ethics of the tightly-bound
community and are found out bear
severe penalties of a religious,
psychological and economic variety.
The Modern world
Nature
Everything in nature has a natural cause which humans
can discover for their use of science. Anthrocentric.
Science, over time, can help us control and mitigate the
harmful effects of nature. Once we know the underlying
pattern of nature, we can use it to aid our species to live
more comfortably
Society
Society is man-made, not a divine construction. Social
contracts are made and changed by humans. Citizens
have both right and duty to participate in and seek to
influence debate on public policy and distribution of social
benefit and harm therefore democratic
Person
Persons are individuals who are free to try to become
masters of own fate. Humans take responsibility for
themselves and world. Individualism
Work
We take responsibility for self, by joining into larger
workplaces whose goals are to satisfy publics. Functions
are routed in rationality of science. Fordism/scientific mgt
For business this means…

Business ethics is focused on resolving
ethical quandries in an expedient and
rational fashion.
The Post-modern world
Nature Our badly wounded natural environment may be unable to
survive continued destructive impact by human kind.
Rationality has been applied badly, with short term and
exploitive zeal.
Society Society is a loose coalition of perspectives, Many “rationalities”
with accompanying ideas of evidence coexist. Political context.
No center; all is fragmented. Each fragment makes a claim to
truth and virtue and insists others desist in victimizing it.
Change orientation.
Person We are not sure who we really are. Our self-creation is a
matter of public image and impression management. Behind
these public images and managed impressions, we re not sure
that there is a genuine “subject” Pluralism
Work
Work is the process of managing meaning in a market context.
It determines your voice, your consumption and the rules
made by others. We are all replaceable and therefore hedge
our risk of displacement by increasing our ability to update
education, skill and contacts.
For business this means…

Business ethics is not a rationale problem
solving exercise. Subjectivist and relativist.
Search for the origin and claims of
rationality that has created privileges for
some at the expense of others. The
changing dynamic nature of environments is
a focus with an emphasis on decline of job
security, information age, rise of service
sector and surveillance mentality
5 key features of distinction
in postmodern worldview
Moderninity
Postmodernity
Subtitle
Centered
Dispersed
“The Centre cannot hold”
Totalizing
Fragmentary
“The Forest for the trees”
Distancing
Involvement
“Follow your bliss”
Hierarchy
Networks
Wither Hierarchy, wither
Reality
Virtual reality
Crossing the boundry
Change
Change
Postmodern Implications
Service
Revolution
Productivity and value in that which cannot be
stored is abstract and difficult to quantify
Globalization
Take into account multiple cultures– each with a
different orientation to meaning and perhaps
even of the good life
Participative
revolution
In a quickly changing and uncertain world
people fare better in teams which are
empowered to use discretion, learn and make
decisions on the spot
Information
revolution
Information and access to it are building blocks
for a system in which change will accelerate and
greater access to more and more useful
information will heighten obsolescence for those
h do not enter the revolution
Feature of
Postmodernism
Pessimism
Optimism
Dispersed
Nihism
Genuine dialogue
Fragmentary
No rational planning or Improvisation aids in
big picture
uncertainty
Involvement
Biased and subjective
over engagement
Enhances commitment
and sense of
engagement
Networks
Decentralized
inefficiency and poor
coordination
Fosters adaption and
quack response time
which accelerates
learning
Virtual reality
Disorients and
confuses what is fact
and what is image
Creates a new more
user friendly reality
which increases
connections and
fosters dialogue