The ethics of Nudges in the time of coronavirus
In the introduction of the book “Nudge: improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness”, Richard Thaler and Carl Sunstein tell the story of Carolyn, a director who runs experiments in school cafeterias whether the way the food is displayed influence children in healthier choices. At the launch of the book in 2008, it was a […]
Rivality in soft drinks: to sell, anything goes?
For most ordinary citizens today, Pepsi is nothing more than a “plan B” soda for occasions when there is no bottle of Coca-Cola available. But it wasn’t always like that. In the 1980s, the two brands fought a fierce battle for consumer preference, which peaked with Pepsi’s hiring of Michael Jackson to star in the […]
The utility of staying at home
For much of 2020, we have stayed at home, even if we do not wish. The pandemic that hit the world showed the government’s inability in dealing with serious public health problems, and individual behavior has become the main way to prevent the situation from worsening. When it comes to individual behaviors, then, ethical issues […]
The new coronavirus pandemic cannot be seen as a moral dilemma of the ‘trolley problem’ for public management
One of the approaches that argues that the new coronavirus pandemic cannot be a moral dilemma for the public management is well illustrated in this image, an adaptation1 of the famous ‘trolley problem’2. Notice the back of the track. Here the question of lives x economy is not presented, but lives x lives: (1) Moral […]
Ethics and the rise of sentiments
In 1759, Adam Smith published his book “Theory of Moral Sentiments”. In this book, the Scottish thinker considered that moral actions were guided by sympathy, that is, in the inate human capacity of putting oneself in the place of other people, in choosing to act morally not having in mind what the action can bring […]
Virtues and our relationships
As we reflect on life, personal actions, and the events around us, we wonder what can lead us to a happier life, and we often think that our relationships influence this happiness, as well as how coexistence would be easier and more peaceful if moral issues and ethics were common concerns. When we think of […]
What would be an ethical salary?
UBER, a carrier-to-application company, is planning to make a big bump on its Initial Public Offering (IPO). The expectation is that the company can get an IPO between 100 and 120 billion dollars. A curiosity is that in a prospectus released by the company, UBER reported about 6.8 billion in losses according to the magazine […]
The act of reflection on oneself and an outsourcing of ethical responsibility.
We rarely admit the error and when we do, it usually hurts. The act of recognizing one’s faults is closely connected with a mirror that reflects an image we rarely want to see. It is naturally understandable that the human being, in the majority of the times, will be overestimated, even when this appears camouflaged […]
Public policies and the morality of modern vices
Many public managers, in all spheres of power, are now struggling with the delicate issue of chemical dependency. There are many ways to deal with this problem, from the fight against drug trafficking, to the elaboration of policies for the treatment of people subjugated by drug addiction. In one way or another, each ruler or […]
A note on whaling
The debate on whaling has resurfaced recently. Such a debate, in my opinion, rekindles the question of the ethical status of animals over humans, and raises questions about how they are treated by us. My goal is to express just one point of view on the topic. I want to begin quoting David Hume: from […]