The Greek philosopher Aristotle, writing over two thousand years before Wall Street, called people who engaged in activities which did not contribute to society "parasites." In his latest work, renowned scholar Robert C. Solomon asserts that though capitalism may require capital, it does not require, much less should be defined by the parasites it inevitably attracts. Capitalism has succeeded not with brute strength or because it has made people rich, but because it has produced responsible citizens and--however unevenly--prosperous communities. It cannot tolerate a conception of business...

In Values, Nature, and Culture in the American Corporation, distinguished ethicist William Frederick explores issues of fundamental importance to all who aspire to conduct their business affairs ethically. He begins with an examination of the three value systems in business that are basically incompatible, and therefore in constant tension. The first is the need for managers to efficiently allocate resources for maximum profits. The second is the natural tendency for managers, in pursuit of the first goal, to accumulate power for its own sake. The third is the desire for people in...

Ethics Through Corporate Strategy is a daring challenge to anyone who uses the customary language of business in America. It is daring because Daniel Gilbert argues that we should discard two popular ways of linking business and ethics. It is challenging, because Gilbert proceeds from the premise that everyone who uses a language of business is responsible for the ethical implications of that way of talking. This work is one demonstration of how we can relocate conversations about business in the larger conversation that we know as liberal education.