Joao Neves

The expression “artificial intelligence” is one of the most daring and dreadful claims in human history, implying a dramatic challenge to the core nature of mankind. The fact that it became a household name, characterizing one of the most promising area of human development, is a paradox deserving understanding. In fact, computer science represents a crucial area of technical research, having already produced several excellent results and promising even better. These projects are conceptually independent of the original purpose of building “thinking machines” and creating an “artificial intelligence”. This paradox raises three problems, which are briefly accessed in the paper. The first is how the “artificial intelligence” project came to exist and what was its logical foundation. The second is the characterization of the anti-humanistic elements implied by the claim to have “thinking machines”: ideological, theological, and operational. Finally, the last part of the paper will sketch the practical consequences the claim had on the evolution of the field.

Cultural diversity is an inescapable reality and a concern in many businesses where it can often raise ethical questions and dilemmas. This paper aims to offer suggestions to certain problems facing managers in dealing with cultural diversity through the inspiration of Thomas Aquinas. Although he may be perceived as a voice from the distant past, we can still find in his writings helpful and original ideas and criteria. He welcomes cultural differences as a part of the perfection of the universe. His systemic approach leads one to place the problem in its proper context, and to reflect on it from the perspective of virtue ethics, with a central role for practical wisdom and giving primacy to neighborly love and natural moral law. Rather than a set of rigid standards with no consideration of diversity Aquinas focuses on the common human ground, which allows for the indispensable dialogue between different positions. When dealing with practical questions, the problem is one of finding the right balance between general principle and cultural specifics, tolerance, and dialogue, always guided by practical wisdom. In this way, Aquinas’ approach is neither rigid ethical universalism with no consideration for diversity nor moral relativism with no place for any transcultural and absolute morals.

Strong denunciations of the capitalist system have become one of the most controversial aspects of the early years of Pope Francis’s pontificate, reverberating far and wide. This article places these statements in context. After elucidating the economic role of the pontiff as a religious leader, the text identifies the two core elements in his approach—the universal destination of goods and the preference for the poor—as basic and traditional concepts of the Church’s social doctrine. The economic teachings of Francis are then described in a tripartite structure called “the economic canon of the pope.”

This article analyzes the issue of organizational transparency through the lens of Thomas Aquinas’ ethics. It provides moral justification for current claims about corporate transparency and sheds light on the ethical values and virtues affecting information disclosure decisions. Transparency is conceptualized as an informational mechanism necessary for performing the virtues of truthfulness, justice, and prudence. This article extends the organizational transparency and corporate social responsibility literatures by providing an alternative moral justification grounded in virtue-based theory, which extends our understanding of the information disclosure decisions made by management

The Valdez Principles have been formulated to guide and evaluate corporate conduct towards the environment. While at first glance the code appears to impose enormous new responsibilities on firms, a closer analysis indicates that existing regulations and business practices already require businesses to meet many of the environmental goals sought by its proponents. Likely corporate response to the code is examined against this background and with reference to the experience with other voluntary codes of conduct. It would appear that compliance with the code will yield minimal benefits and non-compliance will impose minimum costs for the environmentally-responsible firm.