What role, if any, does business have in a good human life? To address this question, we will study and apply ethical principles and theories—both religious and philosophical—to the policies and actions of business in the mixed market economy of the United States, that is, and economy in which the production and sale of goods and services are structured by a combination of market forces and government regulations. Focusing on the triad of (1) consumers, (2) businesses, and (3) government, not only will we explore business cases about topics such as product safety, marketing, and consumers’ rights, but also, in our spotlight section in the second half of the semester, we will conduct and extended moral analysis of the healthcare industry in the United States. We will thus examine and refine our own values throughout the semester as we think about the story of business—what business is—and try to determine what role, if any, business has in a good human life.
Cross-listed with BU 315
