Promises

Promises are utterances or statements expressing an intention, resolution, or commitment to the promisee (one to whom the promise is made), thereby creating a new obligation to carry out the content of the utterance or statement. When a promise is made, the promisor (the one who is making the promise) understands that if the promise is not kept, then a moral obligation will have been breached. Keeping promises is critical to ethical business practice and is frequently viewed in relation to the obligation to be honest. Promises are the key to trust; thus, breaking a promise is generally a breach of trust. Furthermore, since many contracts are based on promises, a full understanding of promises is central to both moral and legal issues in the ...