Yearly Archives: 2015

Anticapitalist Russell Brand Registers Trademark: Contradiction?

Two questions: (1) Does this make Russell Brand a capitalist anti-capitalist or an anti-capitalist capitalist? (2) Why wasn’t the trademark denied on grounds of prior art? (The Ron Paul presidential campaign used an almost identical design.) >>> Russell Brand is

Anticapitalist Russell Brand Registers Trademark: Contradiction?

Two questions: (1) Does this make Russell Brand a capitalist anti-capitalist or an anti-capitalist capitalist? (2) Why wasn’t the trademark denied on grounds of prior art? (The Ron Paul presidential campaign used an almost identical design.) >>> Russell Brand is

Climate Warning Labels on Gas Pumps?

A sticker on gas pumps to remind consumers of the environmental impact of fossil fuels? As one proponent says, “It’s just a sticker. It’s low-cost. It’s compelling.” But will it do any good? Is the comparison with warning labels on

Climate Warning Labels on Gas Pumps?

A sticker on gas pumps to remind consumers of the environmental impact of fossil fuels? As one proponent says, “It’s just a sticker. It’s low-cost. It’s compelling.” But will it do any good? Is the comparison with warning labels on

Video: Tech disruptors and the auto business

Tech disruptors and the auto business (2-minute video featuring Prof Dirk Matten, on the CBC’s “The Exchange, With Amanda Lang”) Brought to you by:

Video: Tech disruptors and the auto business

Tech disruptors and the auto business (2-minute video featuring Prof Dirk Matten, on the CBC’s “The Exchange, With Amanda Lang”) Brought to you by:

Understanding Entrepreneurship (and Why That’s Ethically Important)

Here’s an 18-minute video lecture by Prof. Alexei Marcoux on Defining Entrepreneurship. Why is it so important, from the point of view of business ethics, to define entrepreneurship? Because what you think entrepreneurship is affects what you think entrepreneurs ought

Understanding Entrepreneurship (and Why That’s Ethically Important)

Here’s an 18-minute video lecture by Prof. Alexei Marcoux on Defining Entrepreneurship. Why is it so important, from the point of view of business ethics, to define entrepreneurship? Because what you think entrepreneurship is affects what you think entrepreneurs ought

Adversarial Schemes and Downplaying Your Own Performance

This looks very good. New from Ethical Theory and Moral Practice. >>> There Is No Bathing in River Styx: Rule Manipulation, Performance Downplaying and Adversarial Schemes, by Dominic Martin Abstract: Adversarial scheme points to situations of rivalry like auctions, public

Adversarial Schemes and Downplaying Your Own Performance

This looks very good. New from Ethical Theory and Moral Practice. >>> There Is No Bathing in River Styx: Rule Manipulation, Performance Downplaying and Adversarial Schemes, by Dominic Martin Abstract: Adversarial scheme points to situations of rivalry like auctions, public

Chinese ‘Car Babes’ Out of Work

Many people object that using scantily-clad women to help sell your product is inherently objectifying and therefore sexist. Even though the women might well be participating voluntarily, critics worry that women (especially) often have too few choices in life, and

Chinese ‘Car Babes’ Out of Work

Many people object that using scantily-clad women to help sell your product is inherently objectifying and therefore sexist. Even though the women might well be participating voluntarily, critics worry that women (especially) often have too few choices in life, and

Abusive Working Conditions in NYC Nail Salons

You don’t have to go overseas to find abusive working conditions. And yes, technically these young women do the work “voluntarily,” but they may have few options in life, and may be in precarious situations, for various reasons, that make

Abusive Working Conditions in NYC Nail Salons

You don’t have to go overseas to find abusive working conditions. And yes, technically these young women do the work “voluntarily,” but they may have few options in life, and may be in precarious situations, for various reasons, that make

Using Friendship as a Tool for Commerce

This piece is essentially about companies (mostly) leveraging the psychology of friendship in order to sell things. The focus on “powerful” people in the headline isn’t necessary (and the headline may well not have been written by the author of

Using Friendship as a Tool for Commerce

This piece is essentially about companies (mostly) leveraging the psychology of friendship in order to sell things. The focus on “powerful” people in the headline isn’t necessary (and the headline may well not have been written by the author of

Johnson & Johnson Creates Ethics Panel

Pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson has created an ethics panel, led by renowned ethicist Art Caplan. >>> Company Creates Bioethics Panel on Trial Drugs Johnson & Johnson has appointed a nationally known bioethicist to create a panel that will make

Johnson & Johnson Creates Ethics Panel

Pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson has created an ethics panel, led by renowned ethicist Art Caplan. >>> Company Creates Bioethics Panel on Trial Drugs Johnson & Johnson has appointed a nationally known bioethicist to create a panel that will make

Counterfeit Fairtrade Labels

With very few exceptions, deception is unethical. (Of course, some suggest that the Fairtrade label itself is deceptive.) Question for discussion: how is counterfeiting a Fairtrade label like-or-unlike counterfeiting a Gucci handbag? >>> Beware the Fairtrade fraudsters: Shoppers warned to

Counterfeit Fairtrade Labels

With very few exceptions, deception is unethical. (Of course, some suggest that the Fairtrade label itself is deceptive.) Question for discussion: how is counterfeiting a Fairtrade label like-or-unlike counterfeiting a Gucci handbag? >>> Beware the Fairtrade fraudsters: Shoppers warned to