Title

Business and/as/of the Humanities

Department/School

Ethics and Business Law

Date of this version

2010

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Business ethics, aesthetics, humanities, R. Edward Freeman

Abstract

In their prevailing conceptions, business is interested, whereas the humanities provoke disinterested attention in value for its own sake. Applying Danto’s and/as/of structure to Freeman’s documentary film, Leadership and Theater, this paper outlines the business of the humanities (economic value), depicts the value of the humanities to business ethics education (ethical value), and asks how cultivating an attitude of business as a humanity (aesthetic value) might influence our students’ views of business and business ethics. Regarding business disinterestedly could mean challenging whether interestedness is an essential characteristic of business. The humanities can cultivate an appreciation for what is valuable in itself, in spite of the potential absence of measurable economic value.

Published in

Journal of Business Ethics Education

Citation/Other Information

7: 201-212

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