Moral Point of View

The moral point of view is the impartial, universalizable perspective that each person is capable of assuming. Here the term person is used in a technical sense to denote rational, self-governing being. When we take the moral point of view, we seek to adjudicate disputes rationally, we assume that other persons are neither more nor less important than ourselves, and we assume that our own claims will be considered alongside those of others in an impartial manner. These three components of the moral point of view are respectively concerned with rationality, universalizability, and impartiality.

The moral point of view is rational in the sense that it involves the application of reason rather than feeling or mere inclination. Moral issues frequently invoke a strong emotional response in individuals. The attempt to justify a moral stance by appeal to reasons that may be considered and evaluated by other persons facilitates a process whereby individuals with distinctly different emotional responses to a moral issue may seek mutual understanding and, perhaps, agreement. In business, the fact that one person wields more economic power, for example, than another person cannot by itself outweigh the needs for both parties to offer a rational basis for their competing moral perspectives.

The moral point of view is universal in the sense that the principles or propositions ascertained therefrom apply to all persons and to all relevantly similar circumstances. Thus, if a moral principle or proposition is valid, no persons are exempt from its strictures. The notion of universalizability has particular relevance in the era of economic globalization. It requires that we regard all persons as equal in dignity and as such that we respect them in our business dealings wherever they may live or work.

The moral point of view is impartial in the sense that principles or propositions ascertained therefrom apply to persons irrespective of arbitrary considerations. This impartiality may involve the application of a specific principle that purposively ignores the circumstances of individual lives, or it may involve an unbiased evaluation of the particular reality of individual persons and an assessment of the needs and preferences of individual persons in light of the needs and preferences of others. In any case, it requires that characteristics such as a person's race, sex, nationality, and economic circumstances, for example, cannot be regarded as a legitimate basis for treating persons differently than other persons when there are no good reasons for thinking such considerations relevant. Impartiality is especially important in human resource management, where such considerations may interfere with the fair evaluation of employees and with their promotion or dismissal.

It is important to note that the moral point of view does not exclude partiality. Favoring the interests of one party over another is justified when there are overriding reasons for ranking the specific interests of one party over another. This is especially so when one has familial, professional, or contractual responsibilities. This point is of obvious relevance to business managers who have distinct moral and legal obligations to their employers. The challenge of the ethical manager is to determine when the interests of his or her employers trump those of other stakeholders and when the interests of those stakeholders override the interests of his or her employers.

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