Ethics of Authenticity

Charles Taylor, in the required reading from The Ethics of Authenticity, discusses a wide variety of ethical
topics about (what he conceives as good and bad) socio-economic “development” (over various long-term time
periods, primarily in the culture of the “West”) that includes an increasing domination of society by instrumental
reason, technology, and markets (as related to what we have called “Culture” in this course, and as related to
politics and markets). Among the topics Taylor discusses are individualism, markets, environmental problems,
and the perception by some observers/commentators that the modern world increasingly constructs an “Iron
Cage” through runaway technology that cannot (without struggles) be democratically controlled. Yet Taylor
thinks the development of “modernity” (modern society) has many ethically good as well as ethically bad
features. Define one or two important ethical issue(s) about business activity from among these topics
considered by Taylor. Explain and evaluate* one or two important ethical claim(s) made by Taylor about the
issue(s). Relate your discussion to the ethics of socio-economic “development” and specifically business.
Consider and respond to one objection to the claim(s) that you discuss. Be sure to explain and justify your own
ethical views about the issue you discuss.