Do No Evil: Ethics with Applications to Economic Theory and Business

Rating:
Summary: Well Written
Review: Easy to read, great manner of expression, and well-stated theory. His analysis of property is excellent. The justification for capitalism is as powerful as Rand's, without the problem of an absolute right to property.

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Summary: A Remarkable Synthesis
Review: One of the few modern philsophy books with practical value...how to live one's life...and theoretical rigour from a philosophical perspective. This is a masterful synthesis of analytical philsophy, normative ethics, economics and business. I highly recommend this to serious students of any of these disciplines. Berumen begins by showing how ethical propositions have meaning and how logic applies to them; he then shows that the folly of moral relativism; and then he comes up with a set of moral principles based on our rational prohibitions and the concept of impartiality, which he contends represent the only universal moral rules possible. Berumen defines evil as the suffering of those who can suffer, whether human or other animals, and he says the basis of universal morality is to avoid causing others to suffer, that which all rational creatures would avoid for themselves without an overriding reason. Berumen then goes on to show how capitalism is more justifiable than socialism from an ethical perspective, primarily on the basis of rules against taking another's property or restricting his freedom to trade or produce. However, Berumen argues that these are not absolute rights...and that one can violate a moral precept when the facts and logic enable one to prescribe a universal exception to the circumstance, such that all rational people would prescribe the same thing given the same facts. Finally, he takes up various business issues such as corporate governance, the environment, selling, and fiduciary responsibility. His comments on the treatment of animals and our duties towards them are among the best I have encountered.

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Summary: The Importance of Evil
Review: This book says a great many interesting things about ethics. The most important one, however, is that evil is given short shrift compared to good. The author shows that the only legitimate basis for general rules that apply to everyone, everywhere, all of the time... something that all rational people underestand and can act upon... is not causing evil. So many theories focus on what we should be doing for the benefit of others. But people differ widely on what that is. In contrast, rational people do not differ on avoiding death and suffering, which is the crux of Berumen's theory. He presents a spare and workable moral theory. This is a very good read.

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Summary: A Neo-Kantian Approach
Review: This excellent volume sets Kant's rationalism on its head and considers the importance of irrationality and the rules rational beings follow in relation to themselves, namely, avoiding death, pain, disability, deception, theft, and violated obligations to oneself. Rational beings (when they are acting rationally) never desire these things for their own sake without a reason. Berumen says universal moral princples can only be based on these rules when we marry them with impartiality, thereby extending them to others. Unlike Kant, he provides concrete rules rather than an empty formula, and, unlike Kant, he does not treat them as absolutes. Rather, it is the exception to them which becomes an absolute, for it must be universalized given the specific universal properties of the relevant facts. Thus, the general moral rules are only tentatively universal insofar as a specific exception cannot be willed. Berumen's chapter on evil, which he defines as death and suffering, is one of the best analyses of the nature of evil I've read. Unlike most proponents of capitalism, Berumen does not justify it on utilitarian grounds, but on the basis that it is wrong to steal or disable another. His chapters on business are interesting and useful, especially the one dealing with the ends or mission of a business. He does not let a business off the moral hook when it is a contributory factor in causing evil, death or suffering, notwithstanding the fact people freely coose to buy its products or work there. With this said, he cautions against using the law as a means of correcting this except in the most greivous cases, for sometimes that causes an even greater moral problem. Berumen's writing is clear and elegant, and his analysis keen. The book is useful for a general audience wanting to know more about ethics and for those who are more philosophically minded. There are typos here and there, but not so many that they get in the way.

Rating:
Summary: Good book on Evil
Review: Well written: clear, non-pedantic, and interesting. The idea is that we have certain rational prohibitions to avoid unnecessary harm to ourselves and that this forms the basis of morality. Berumen says there is no rational requirement to be moral towards others; this comes from joining impartiality with our own rational prohibitions, which requires we extend it to everyone else who can suffer or die, with some proportinate formula for other animals. He comes up with a short list of general maxims...don't kill, cause pain, disable, lie, steal, or violate specified duties/obligations. These are not absolute, however, for we can always come up with a case where an exception would be the right thing to do. We can justify such exceptions by applying a Kantian universal, making it apply all of the time to all such situations. Unlike Kant, Berumen will take specific facts and consequencs into account. He then shows how capitalism, or more specifically, private property and free exchange, are allowed by morality, and why collectivism is morally problematic. Less interesting stuff on business (to me) follows, though I am sure it would be valuable to people interested in the practical business side. The exception (to me) are the chapters on business duties towards animals and the environment. One of the better books on ethics, and the first I have read that really takes a hard look at the concepts underlying socialism and capitalism from an ethical standpoint