Immanuel Kant- Morality is priori – universal– absolute 

Mo La can’t be changed

Categorical imperative- is an obligation that we have regardless of our will  or desires

Kant’s philosophy is merely one of the ethical systems used in making ethical/moral
decision, that is deontology, that one must act in conformance with his or her duty. It is universal
or absolute because a living person abides with his/her duties in this world regardless of the
consequences and personal will or desires. (or in short Kant’s philosophy is under the categorical
imperative) An obligation that is ought to be fulfilled.

Categorical imperative meaning, imperative is you give a demand or instruction or

command to your audience and categorical meaning in Kant’s theories, one must categorize or
assess hypothetically whether an action respect the goals of human beings rather than his or her
personal desires?

you must be good for goodness sake.

Niccolo Machiavelli- absolute monarch . The ends justify the means, cruelty, selfishness and
bad side of human nature. Good . To do  something not necessary good to achieve something
good. 

Machiavelli talks about the royalties/ monarchies being rulers. One of his works, The
Prince tells that a ruler should or the prince herein should understand that his public and private
life are two different things in order to rule well. A ruler is not only concerned with his or her
reputation, but he or she should actually do something good. In the public eyes, a ruler or a
person must act truthful, honest, religious even if he acts in the opposite way, why so? Because
the public admires the image in which the ruler projects. In business, a manager should act
cautious in order to protect its business from any strikes or rebellions also in his work, a
monarchy ruled by royalties must act in cruelty in order to protect its kingdom. The ends justify
the means, meaning regardless if the act is morally good or bad, it is worth doing as long
as the desired end is achieved.

Jeremy Bentham –utility. Property.    Produce benefit, advantage, pleasure, good, happiness.
Greatest good is the greatest pleasure of the greatest number. 

Jeremy Bentham is the proponent of modern utilitarianism. Meaning the maxim which
says, greatest good for the greatest number. It is based on one’s ability to predict the
consequences of an action that yields the greatest benefit to the most people in order for it to
be considered ethically correct or if it yield on human happiness. For example, a manager who
goes to meeting on time, not only it is his duties, but to benefit its employees as well. Of course,
as an employee they seek that their managers should be the role model inside their business.

John Stuart Mill- Human pursue happiness naturally and will avoid pain  or suffering. What
constitute good moral is happiness and pain is moral evil. The act that promotes happiness is
moral, that which produce es pain is immoral. ex More benefit, less cost is a good action
budgeting, Labor management conflict

Mill’s philosophy is the same as with Bentham, they both focus on the concept of
utilitarianism. The only difference between the two is that Bentham utilitarianism seeks happiness
while on Mill’s theory, the only thing that is intrinsically desirable is pleasure, in which
pleasure is the absence of pain. The desire of perfection belong to human nature and that
people are capable of improvement. The difference also is that Bentham’s philosophy is an act
utilitarianism (quantity matters regardless of personal feelings or social laws) while in Mill’s
theory, it is more on rule utilitarianism (which takes into fairness, justice, accounts of law)

QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF PLEASURE

Thomas Hobbes- humans are basically selfish.  Who would do anything to improve their
position. They should not be trusted to make decisions. They are selfishly motivated. There must
be laws to be followed GOOD and evil if not followed. King is important because they
provide direction, leadership because people are only interested for.   their interest. People should
not vote because it will never work …Ex bus must follow laws; com must provide policies to
discipline people and give order…com must promote common good.   All must be law abiding
citizen

Hobbes’ philosophy talks about the nature of man, that is selfish, greedy and would do
anything for them to improve their position or status in life. A state of war of one man against his
nature. Materialism meaning his individual desires is what he perceives to be good. That’s why
people need laws in order for the regulation and limitations to our basic rights. Also it’s the reason
why republicans need a leader to lead the public in abiding what is right.

Divine Command Ethics- there is God who set down a finite series of rules that adherents claim
can provide guidance.  And moral decisions. Ex. Bus. Actions must conform to the laws of God,
Bus. Decision must conform too to the teachings of exoplanar  non-divine beings like Buddha. 

Alternatives in philosophy or reasoning. People see divine intervention or belief in God/

Gods as something that is morally right to which one must act. People always argue that indeed
man, as his nature, is evil or sinner, but with divine command ethics it point out that their God
possess goodness and necessary traits in which the people must abide. Through their teachings
and dogmas.

Ethical Egoism- promotion of one’s own good is in accordance with morality. To see a person
how he behaves specially in bus dealings.

Egoism meaning one is acting in his self-interest. In lay man’s term Ethical Egoism is a
normative perception that is selfish hence immoral. But it may have its good side, it being a self-
interest/ egoistic man can promote the viability of the company’s interest.

Example: If the manager would not like to disclose any information that their company is
bankrupt, then we can say that the manager’s motive is selfish for not disclosing any information
about the company to its employees. But the manager egoism acted, in so far that he believes
that it is the company’s best interest.

Ayn RAND- Morality of reason is contained in a single saying existence exists and a single
choice to live …Man should live with these 3 things, reason (tool of knowledge), purpose (choice
of happiness)  Self-esteem(certainty that his mind is competent. Ex Bus. Decision, self-interest is
considered and given priority… Decision making in bus.
Is rational ie thinking before acting

Rand’s philosophy speaks about man who desires rational goals and the joy in such
rational actions. A virtuous life with reason, purpose, and self-esteem affirms and essentially
worth the happiness in life. Objectivism in a way that a man asserts the validity of something in a
realism sense. For example, Think before you speak.

Socrates- his moral philpsophy…Virtue (moral excellence) is identical to knowledge …Vices

(moral evil) is ignorance (lack of moral knowledge) …

Socrates philosophy is based on logic and reason. Socratic method, where a person gets
to make hypothesis in order to test the logic of their question. Also, the worst thing a person can
make is when he or she ignores the vices which are morally evil considering the knowledge a
person has. In business, as to Socrates philosophy, even you are the manager, it is better to say
things “I don’t know”, have a better wide and honest ignorance rather than a narrow minded
manager.