And I guess this doesn't really clarify Corporations as being moral entities or not. If we observe a moral entity as a being which utilizes resources and influences human activity, then we can claim as much from them. Considering that ants do that as well, though, I fear that that may not be sufficient enough a point.
The point of presenting that article is to emphasize that moral outcomes, from a business stance, can be tied exclusively to business actions but cannot be held to moral standard because business actions cannot be reasonably obligated to morality (which the author outlines in the text). They can, however, be obligated to law. So, if we consider this stance, we find that the moral obligation may lie with the very people that we entrust to regulate and create laws governing business action. Which in the USA, it would be us.
So, when Monsanto decides to patent genetically modified plant product and then attempt to sue organic farmers who did not ask for their product but were forced to receive it due to pollination, it's our (ALL OF US WHO ARE VOTING CITIZENS) fault; from one perspective, at least.
I would put forward that Corporations are not moral entities because they themselves cannot participate in morality the same way human beings do because they are collectives composed of individuals making individual choices. You do not prosecute all faculty of Thomas More when one commits a felony, even though we would agree that all faculty act as representatives of Thomas More. Moreover, when Apple is found to be linked to factories in Asia where high-suicide-rates are found, we do not hold Steve Jobs personally accountable (on a legal level, at the very least).
And, just to add, on a personal level, stealing Windows 7 OS by downloading it illegally is not as morally reprehensible as stealing the physical copy from another person. Nor would one person, more than likely, be able to persecute legally as harshly as Microsoft could.
Stuff related to Monsanto and the concept of Pollen Drift:
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ReplyDeleteAnd I guess this doesn't really clarify Corporations as being moral entities or not. If we observe a moral entity as a being which utilizes resources and influences human activity, then we can claim as much from them. Considering that ants do that as well, though, I fear that that may not be sufficient enough a point.
ReplyDeleteThe point of presenting that article is to emphasize that moral outcomes, from a business stance, can be tied exclusively to business actions but cannot be held to moral standard because business actions cannot be reasonably obligated to morality (which the author outlines in the text). They can, however, be obligated to law. So, if we consider this stance, we find that the moral obligation may lie with the very people that we entrust to regulate and create laws governing business action. Which in the USA, it would be us.
So, when Monsanto decides to patent genetically modified plant product and then attempt to sue organic farmers who did not ask for their product but were forced to receive it due to pollination, it's our (ALL OF US WHO ARE VOTING CITIZENS) fault; from one perspective, at least.
I would put forward that Corporations are not moral entities because they themselves cannot participate in morality the same way human beings do because they are collectives composed of individuals making individual choices. You do not prosecute all faculty of Thomas More when one commits a felony, even though we would agree that all faculty act as representatives of Thomas More. Moreover, when Apple is found to be linked to factories in Asia where high-suicide-rates are found, we do not hold Steve Jobs personally accountable (on a legal level, at the very least).
And, just to add, on a personal level, stealing Windows 7 OS by downloading it illegally is not as morally reprehensible as stealing the physical copy from another person. Nor would one person, more than likely, be able to persecute legally as harshly as Microsoft could.
Stuff related to Monsanto and the concept of Pollen Drift:
http://www.healthiertalk.com/usda-seeks-method-compensate-farmers-gm-contamination-4652
http://tinyurl.com/studyfromgeorgiau