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