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Moral Education at Work: On the Scope of MacIntyre’s Concept of a Practice

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  • Matthew Sinnicks

    (Northumbria University)

Abstract

This paper seeks to show how MacIntyre’s concept of a practice can survive a series of ‘scope problems’ which threaten to render the concept inapplicable to business ethics. I begin by outlining MacIntyre’s concept of a practice before arguing that, despite an asymmetry between productive and non-productive practices, the elasticity of the concept of a practice allows us to accommodate productive and profitable activities. This elasticity of practices allows us to sidestep the problem of adjudicating between practitioners and non-practitioners as well as the problem of generic activities. I conclude by suggesting that the contemporary tendency to regard work as an object of consumption, rather than undermining MacIntyre’s account of practices, serves to demonstrate the potential breadth of its applicability.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthew Sinnicks, 2019. "Moral Education at Work: On the Scope of MacIntyre’s Concept of a Practice," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(1), pages 105-118, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:159:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-017-3753-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-017-3753-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Dobson, 2009. "Alasdair Macintyre’s Aristotelian Business Ethics: A Critique," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 86(1), pages 43-50, April.
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    9. repec:bla:scotjp:v:44:y:1997:i:4:p:425-36 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Moore, Geoff, 2012. "The Virtue of Governance, the Governance of Virtue," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 22(2), pages 293-318, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Caleb Bernacchio, 2021. "Virtue Beyond Contract: A MacIntyrean Approach to Employee Rights," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 171(2), pages 227-240, June.
    2. Nicholas Burton & Matthew Sinnicks, 2022. "Quaker Business Ethics as MacIntyrean Tradition," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 176(3), pages 507-518, March.
    3. Mathieu Alemany Oliver, 2022. "Navigating Between the Plots: A Narratological and Ethical Analysis of Business-Related Conspiracy Theories (BrCTs)," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 175(2), pages 265-288, January.
    4. Matthew Sinnicks, 2021. "“We Ought to Eat in Order to Work, Not Vice Versa”: MacIntyre, Practices, and the Best Work for Humankind," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 174(2), pages 263-274, November.
    5. Mathieu Alemany Oliver, 2020. "Navigating Between the Plots: A Narratological and Ethical Analysis of Business-Related Conspiracy Theories (BrCTs)," Post-Print hal-03289831, HAL.

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