Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Philosophy and ethics

External Sensible Knowledge

The Object of the Senses

• Formal Object:
  • Per se (Direct): That which can be perceived by the sense.
    • Proper: Can only be perceived by one specific sense.
    • Common: Can be perceived by multiple senses.
  • Per accidens (Indirect): That which the sense does not perceive by itself, but is added by the soul to the direct object. Our senses are never wrong; this is confirmed by experience.

The Nature of the Senses

Senses are potencies or powers. They require stimulation to transition from potency to act. Senses react to the action of an object; they are passive, meaning they will not react without external activity.

1. It is a capability.
2. It is a passive potency.
3. It is neither purely material nor spiritual; senses are bodies informed by an

Foundation and History of Industrial Relations

The history of Industrial Relations (IR) is rooted in key concepts derived from economics, sociology, law, and political science. Modern IR focuses on labor-management relations, unions, and collective bargaining. The four original IR solutions include:

• Professional labor management.
• Protective labor law (Social Insurance and Collective Bargaining).
• Macroeconomic stabilization (policy changes to reduce violence and encourage welfare and growth).

Objectives and the Balance of Interests

Effective IR relies on balancing three core objectives:

• Efficiency: Maximizing profit through limited resources while incorporating equity and voice.
• Equity: Implementing procedural justice to protect employee rights, acknowledging

Humanization: This evolutionary process occurred alongside hominization. It refers to the behavioral changes experienced by the same species included in the hominization process.

Humanism: Artistic and intellectual movement originating in Europe during the Renaissance. It defended free spirit and championed the abilities of human reason and intuition in the fields of philosophy, science, and art. Humanism avoided syllogistic methodology and dogmas that tried to control human creativity.

Inertia: Property of all bodies that keeps them at rest or in rectilinear motion, as long as that state is not changed by an external force.

Monotheism: Religious belief that affirms the existence of only one god who controls and governs all of reality.

Multiculturalism:

Core Traits of Philosophers

• Lovers of wisdom
• Seekers of truth
• Reasonable
• Critically minded
• Questioning
• Curious
• Objective

Philosophers are generally *not* selfish, closed-minded, pessimistic, reckless individuals, or uninterested.

What is Wisdom?

Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge and intelligence for practical purposes.

Key Fields of Philosophy

• The study of ultimate reality: Metaphysics
• The limits of human knowledge: Epistemology
• The science of reasoning: Logic
• The study of morals: Ethics
• The study of society: Social/Political Philosophy
• The study of values: Axiology
• The study of beauty and art: Aesthetics

Etymology of Philosophy

• Philos ("love") + Sophia ("wisdom")

Stoicism

Key Figures in Stoicism

• Founder of Stoicism, taught in Athens: Zeno
• Created the system

Comprehensive Vocabulary Glossary

• Wheedle: To coax by using sly persuasion or insincere praise.
• Detract: To take away, especially from the value, beauty, or importance of.
• Emancipate: To set free from slavery; to liberate.
• Insuperable: Incapable of being overcome or defeated.
• Intermittent: Not continuous; happening at intervals.
• Obligatory: Required or demanded.
• Vagabond: A person who wanders from place to place.
• Bewail: To express deep regret or sorrow over.
• Destitute: Without resources or possessions, especially the necessities of life; lacking; devoid of.
• Extol: To praise highly.
• Flamboyant: Excessively showy; unrestrained.
• Impetus: A driving force; anything that causes an action.
• Maxim: A general truth or rule of conduct; a short saying.
• Plumb: To measure

Gulliver's Travels: A Satirical Exploration of Humanity

3rd Voyage: The Floating Island of Laputa

The King's Unique Policy

Even though the Laputians excel only in music and mathematics, they still desire world domination. This exemplifies human nature, as the King employs a peculiar tactic: if neighboring islands disobey, he hovers Laputa above them, blocking sunlight and rain while dropping stones until they submit.

Lost in Thought

Laputians are so engrossed in their internal world of deep thought that they require constant reminders of their actions. This serves as a metaphor for individuals consumed by their own thoughts, oblivious to the external world, and convinced of their own righteousness.

4th Voyage: The Land of the Houyhnhnms

Reason vs.

The Evolution of Social Rights and Neoliberal Critique

Although during the 20th century fundamental social rights were extended to include social, economic, and cultural requirements—such as education, health, pensions, and unemployment protection—recent decades have seen neoliberal voices challenge this expansion, advocating for a return to a pure liberal model.

Friedrich Hayek and the Road to Servitude

Friedrich Hayek, the 1974 Nobel Prize laureate in Economic Sciences, argued that the social and political evolution of Western societies stems from the free market's capacity to balance individual interests. He maintained that:

• Market outcomes should be accepted without moral judgment regarding justice or injustice.
• Political interventionism

Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Philosophy of Society and Property

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) offered profound insights into human nature, the state of nature, and the origins of society. His ideas challenged conventional wisdom and continue to influence political thought.

Rousseau's State of Nature

Rousseau posited a state of nature distinct from that of his contemporaries like Hobbes. While Hobbes described a "war of all against all," Rousseau envisioned a more peaceful, pre-social existence:

• Absence of Scarcity: Unlike Hobbes, Rousseau believed the state of nature was one of abundance, where nature provided for human needs.
• Undeveloped Imagination and Desires: Early humans were simple and ignorant, their minds undeveloped. Consequently, their desires

Incarcerate

To imprison, confine, jail

Indulgent

Lenient, characterized by excess generosity; overly tolerant

Illicit

Forbidden by law; improper; unauthorized

Inundate

To cover by overflowing; to flood; to overwhelm (as if by a flood)

Inscrutable

Mysterious or obscure; hard to grasp; not easily understood

Intercede

To plead, or petition, on another's behalf

Irrevocable

Not capable of being retracted, recalled, or withdrawn; unalterable

Impair

To make worse; to damage or weaken

Incorrigible

Incapable of being reformed or improved; very bad

Impassive

Having, or revealing, no emotion; Still or motionless

Ludicrous

Ridiculous, laughable, absurd

Litigation

A legal proceeding in a court; a judicial contest to determine and enforce legal rights

Magnanimous

Generous in overlooking...

Essentials of Business and Professional Ethics

1. Ethical Responsibilities of a Business

   • To the general public: Avoiding adverse effects on public health, the environment, and philanthropic efforts.
   • To customers: Ensuring informed choices, the right to be heard, and customer safety.
   • To the workforce: Providing a safe workplace, preventing harassment and discrimination, ensuring equal opportunity, and offering a chance for a quality life.
   • To investors: Practicing good accounting, and providing an accurate portrayal of the firm's financial resources and conditions.

Basis for Ethical Business Organizations

1. Ethical Awareness

   Implementing a code of conduct for all employees and managers.

2. Ethical Reasoning

   Providing ethics education for employees and managers.