Why is virtue important?
The basic premise of philosophical consulting may be this: that virtuous organizations function better than vicious ones. Not only is virtue better than vice in and of itself; virtue also brings better consequences than vice. Whether we consider the cardinal virtues of antiquity (courage, justice, temperance, wisdom), the Christian virtues of the middle ages (faith, hope, charity), the Kantian virtues regarding others (autonomy, respect, dignity), or the ethical virtues of modern professionalism (integrity, honesty, responsibility), we see that these qualities are as desirable in organizations as they are in individuals. Why? Because these virtues benefit those who practice them, as well as those who come into contact with them. In contrast, their opposite qualities are as undesirable in organizations as they are in individuals. Why? Because vices are detrimental to those who practice them, as well as to those who come into contact with them. Understanding virtue and vice is a traditio
