BUSINESS ETHIC AND SOCIAL

THE CLASSICAL
RESPONSIBILITY
PHILOSOPHERS AND
PHILOSOPHIES AND THEIR
IMPLICATIONS ON
BUSINESS
SOCRA
Σωκράτης

TES
 SOCRA
TES
469-399
BCE
He was known to be the "father of Western
Philosophy"

"The Gad-fly at the Marketplace" is one of the

few individuals whom one could say have
shaped the cultural and intellectual development
of the world for without him, history would be
profoundly different.
 SOCRA
TES
Philosophical Ideas

"The unexamined life is not worth living."

Socrates pointed out that human choice was

motivated by the desire for happiness.
 SOCRA
TES
Implications
Socrates thought of the Entrepreneurs.The Socratic
Method is a way of thinking that allows individuals to
define their own purpose of learning and exploring its
purpose through open-minded questioning of what they
hold to be true. Socrates insisted on a right to think of
ourselves by introducing the philosophical concept,
"Dare to Disagree".
PLA
Πλάτων

TO
 PLA
469-399
TO
BCE
One of the world’s best known and most widely read
and studied philosophers. He was the student of
Socrates and the teacher of Aristotle, and he wrote in
the middle of the fourth century B.C.E. in ancient
Greece. Though influenced primarily by Socrates, to
the extent that Socrates is usually the main character
in many of Plato’s writings, he was also influenced
by Heraclitus, Parmenides, and the Pythagoreans.
PLA
Philosophical
TO Ideas
He focused on the power of careful and logical
thinking. He believed that our lives often go
away because we don’t take the time to think
things through and consider all of the
possibilities.
PLA
Philosophical
TOIdeas
Plato expert in ethical matters, believed in two
separate realms, the world of the senses and
the world of ideas. Wanting to bring order and
clarity to our minds as he believed our lives
go wrong due to not giving ourselves time to
think carefully and logically. our ideas are
derived from what the crowd thinks.
PLA
Philosophical
TOIdeas
εὐδαιμονία – Eudaimonia – Fulfilment
Eudaimonia: Almost means ‘happiness’ but
closer to ‘fulfilment’,

γνῶθι σεαυτόν – ‘Know yourself.’

Plato strongly believed that decisions

shouldn’t be based on ‘how you feel’
 PLA
Philosophical
TOIdeas
Plato's philosophy guides business practices in ethics,
leadership, and culture by emphasizing knowledge, virtue,
and ethics for integrity. His teachings inspire excellence,
ethical conduct, and setting a positive example for
employees. Aligning business with ethical principles can
enhance reputation, build trust, and contribute to long-term
success.
ARIST
Αριστοτέλης

OTLE
 ARIST
OTLE
384-322
BCE
Aristotle was a great biologist as well as a great
philosopher. He based his ethics on a psychological
theory of human nature, insisting that we are
naturally virtuous, rational, social and happiness-
seeking. Governments and organizations need to
build the best systems to let humans fulfill their
natural drives.
 ARIST
OTLE
Philosophical Ideas
"Letting people seek fulfillment"

Humans want to believe in something and to serve

it. Appeal to your employees' best nature and they
will answer that call. Our employees will also be
more motivated if you give them the opportunity to
feed their natural curiosity through learning
opportunities.
 ARIST
Implications
OTLE
Aristotle's philosophy was an influence on Edward
Deci and Richard Ryan's Self- Determination
Theory, which suggests that employees will work
harder for you, and perform better, if you give them
tasks, they find meaningful and morally
worthwhile. (The Guardian, 2020)
IMMANUEL
Ο Ιμάνουελ Καντ

KANT
MMANUEL KANT
1724-
1804
Kant lived in the same relatively remote region for
his entire life. His family was very religious,
following a branch of Lutheranism. In simpler
terms, Lutheranism is a type of Christian faith
started by Martin Luther in the 1500s, focusing on
the idea that belief alone is enough for salvation,
the Bible is the ultimate authority, and everyone in
the faith has equal importance.
MMANUEL KANT
Philosophical Ideas

Kantianism is a key version of the broader

ethical perspective known as deontology.
According to deontology, there are certain
absolute (or nearly absolute) ethical rules
that must be followed.
MMANUEL KANT
Philosophical Ideas
Example:
The rule that we must respect people’s
privacy, and the rule that says we must
respect other people’s right to make
decisions about their own lives.
MMANUEL KANT
Philosophical Ideas
The details of Kantianism, the particular version of
deontology put forward by German philosopher
Immanuel Kant, are complicated. But the core idea is
that human beings are not mere objects—they are
persons who are worthy of respect, and who must be
treated as such. In particular, other persons must not be
treated as mere tools in the pursuit of one’s own goals.
MMANUEL KANT
Implications
In business contexts, Kantianism implies an obligation for
businesses (and business people) to treat all persons with
respect. In particular, respectful treatment is considered
obligatory regardless of what ones goals and mission are. A
desire to achieve a particular outcome, such as to make a profit,
cannot override the obligation to treat people fairly and with
respect. Kantianism even insists that the desire to achieve
outcomes that you think are ethically good cannot justify actions
that, incidentally, fail to treat people with respect.
 JEREMY
Τζέρεμι Μπένταμ

BETHAM
JOHN STUART&
Τζον Στιούαρτ Μιλ
MILL
REMY BENTHAM
1748-
1832 was born to a wealthy family. A child prodigy,
Bentham
his father sent him to study at Queen’s College, Oxford
University, aged 12. Although he never practiced,
Bentham trained as a lawyer and wrote extensively on law
and legal reform. He died in 1832 at the age of 84 and
requested his body and head to be preserved for scientific
research. They are currently on display at University
College London.
REMY BENTHAM
Philosophical Ideas
Utilitarian focuses on maximizing happiness and
minimizing suffering. Bentham believed in the
principle of "the greatest happiness of the greatest
number" as the foundation of ethics and legislation.
JOHN STUART
1806-
MILL
1873Stuart Mill was born in London another
John
influential British philosopher and political
economist, was strongly influenced by
Bentham, as he was Bentham's godson. Mill
expanded upon Bentham's utilitarian ideas,
emphasizing individual liberties and
freedoms.
 JOHN STUART
MILL
Philosophical Ideas

Mill expanded upon Bentham's utilitarian ideas,

emphasizing individual liberties and freedoms.
Mill's work "On Liberty" remains a classic defense
of the importance of personal freedoms in a
utilitarian society.
REMY BENTHAM
Implications
Jeremy Bentham's aims to maximize happiness
and minimize suffering. In the context of
business, Bentham would likely advocate for
practices that promote the greatest overall
happiness for the greatest number of people.
JOHN STUART
Implications
MILL
John Stuart Mill's believed that businesses
should operate in a way that respects the rights
and freedoms of individuals, including
employees, consumers, and stakeholders. He
argued that businesses should not only seek to
maximize profits but also consider the ethical
implications of their actions on human welfare
and happiness.
PLUTAR
Πλούταρχος

CH
PLUTARCH
46-119
ADHe is an ancient Greek historian and
educator, understood that humans are
incredibly social creatures, who constantly
observe the people around them and
imitate them.
PLUTARCH
Philosophical Ideas
Unfortunately, people often grow up surrounded by bad
role models. However, we can steer people, by providing
them with better patterns to imitate. That's what Plutarch
tried to do with his famous work, Parallel Lives, which
offered biographical sketches of some of the great Greek
and Roman heroes – Cicero, Caesar, Alexander the Great,
Pericles – to give young people something to emulate.
PLUTARCH
Implicatio
n
In organisational terms, that means what you say
to your employees is less important than what you
do. They will watch how you behave, how you
treat others, how you cope with pressure and
whether you follow through on your promises.
And they will imitate you. If you talk about ethics
and then cut corners at the first opportunity, they
will follow your lead.
EPICTET
Επίκτητος

US
EPICTETUS
55-135
ADof Epictetus simply means gained or acquired.
A term

Epictetus, a former slave from Asia Minor, became a Stoic

philosopher after studying under Gaius Musonius Rufus in
Rome. He was later freed but expelled by Emperor Domitian
for criticism. Epictetus lived a simple life in Nicopolis, where
he attracted listeners from the Roman world.
EPICTETUS
Philosophical Ideas
Epictetus, a Greek philosopher linked to the Stoics, placed a
strong emphasis on ethics. His philosophical teachings centered
around mastering desires and aversions without obstruction,
acknowledging the significance of one's will or intention, and
approaching events with wisdom. According to Epictetus,
individuals bear the responsibility for how they apply the
concepts they encounter, and true enlightenment entails
recognizing that one's will is the only aspect fully within their
control.
EPICTETUS
Implication
In the business context, it is what you can control,
accept external events, concentrate on influence.
Respect the process and timing, embrace the journey
with consistency and readiness. Be proactive, take
charge of life, avoid attributing challenges to others.
MUSONIUS
Ρούφους Μουσόνιους

RUFUS
MUSONIUS RUFUS
30-101
AD
Rufus Musonius was a Roman Stoic philosopher who
emphasized the importance of ethics and virtue in all
aspects of life, including business. Musonius Rufus was
also known as the Socrates of Rome. He was another
Stoic, who taught that philosophy cannot just be
theoretical. If you want to be an ethical individual or an
ethical company, you can't just study ethics, you have to
practise it, every day, to get into good habits.
MUSONIUS RUFUS
Philosophical Ideas
Musonius emphasizes the significance of practice over
theory, as practice better guides us towards action than
theory. He believed that while everyone has the inherent
ability to live virtuously and without error, those who
have not mastered the art of virtuous living cannot be
expected to live flawlessly.
MUSONIUS RUFUS
Implicatio
n
Musonius advocated for ethical conduct, social
responsibility, simplicity, moderation, and self-discipline
in business practices. He emphasized honesty, integrity
and fairness within the business; consideration for
society, avoiding excessive pursuit of wealth, and self-
control for making ethical decisions.
 THANK
FOR
YOU'LL
LISTENING!