Question

What are the practical similarities between Gustafson’s utilitarian approach to business ethics and Bowie’s Kantian approach? On what sorts of cases, if any, would they provide conflicting guidance?

Answer 1

What are the practical similarities between Gustafson’s utilitarian approach to business ethics and Bowie’s Kantian approach? On what sorts of cases, if any, would they provide conflicting guidance?

Some of the similarities between utilitarianism and kantian ethics are:

• Both of these theories posses elements that had been in the quantitative theories where kant shows duty + good intentions leading to morality.
• Both of these principles provide clear structures on morality.

Conflicting guidance:

• There is no regard for emotion in the kantian ethics whereas the utilitarian ethics has considerations of emotions and morality when deciding on a particular topic.
• Example, according to the kantian ethics, whatever be the situation, one should not lie, whereas, the utilitarian ethics states that if a lie could benefit a huge number of people, them a lie could be considered.