On the analytical relationship between ethics and economics: some implications for teaching ethics to economists

In this chapter, we claim that different approaches to the analysis of the relationship between ethics and economics have different implications both for the theoretical development of that relationship and for teaching ethics to economists. We show that under standard economic theorizing, the relationship between social or ethical values and economics is one of mere juxtaposition: typically, ethical and economic issues are put together, side by side, in such a way that the anomalies pointed out by economics - which refer to the presence of goal paradoxes, the problem of altruism, etc. - denote the presence of ethical issues within the processes of valuation and choice by agents. In this chapter we propose a change of perspective by focusing on economic action instead of economic choice. The action plan approach allows passing from a conception of economics understood as a logic-of-choice to economics understood as a theory of production-of-action where ethics integrates with economics in a more natural way. The implications for teaching ethics-and-economics and ethics to economists are straightforward.