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Scholastic Thought and Business Ethics: An Overview

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Handbook of the Philosophical Foundations of Business Ethics

Abstract

The generic name “Scholasticism” covers a number of thinkers who lived and wrote between the eleventh and mid-seventeenth centuries in western Europe, with its Golden Age being the thirteenth century. What is termed “Later Scholastic” was another brilliant period, especially for economic and business ethics. Scholastic thought, however, is not only a historical matter. At certain points from the late nineteenth century there were revivals, and we are seeing another now, which may have potential. This chapter reviews the main stages of development in Scholastic thought, paying special attention to its origins, its mainstream schools of thought, its method, and its philosophical grounds. It also discusses how Scholastic thought, especially that of Thomas Aquinas, can take on some current key issues in business ethics. This includes integration of economics and ethics, universal ethics and ethical relativism, ethical decision-making, shareholder versus stakeholder approaches to corporate governance, human rights in a global world, and the role of philosophy and religion/theology in business ethics.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Usually the Summa Theologica is quoted by mentioning the part, question, article, and, if this is the case, the answer to the numbered objection. Thus, I-II, q. 94, a. 2, ad 1 (or simply, I-II, 94, 2, 1) means “First part of the second part, question 94, article 2, and answer to objection number 1).

  2. 2.

    See “Philosophy and Christian Theology” in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/christiantheology-philosophy/. Accessed 25 Jun 2011.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IESE Business School, University of Navarra, Av Pearson, 21, 08034, Barcelona, Spain

    Prof. Domènec Melé

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  1. Peter Löscher-Stiftungslehrstuhl für Wirtschaftsethik, Technische Universität München, München, Germany

    Christoph Luetge

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Melé, D. (2013). Scholastic Thought and Business Ethics: An Overview. In: Luetge, C. (eds) Handbook of the Philosophical Foundations of Business Ethics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1494-6_82

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1494-6_82

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