Existentialism The Teleological Suspension Of The Ethical

There is a concept in Kierkegaardian existentialism that is quite interesting, particularly because in the current case it appears to be relevant for a very bizarre reason. Kierkegaard writes of the â€Å"teleological suspension of the ethical,† that is, the suspension of ethical rules for behavior in order to follow a higher, divinely-imposed law (McDonald, 1996). The example that Kierkegaard writes of is Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac, a willingness that required that he suspend his ethical obligations in support of the telos provided by God. Milton Friedman certainly does not come across as a Christian Existentialist, so one wonders precisely how this concept is relevant to his thoughts on the duties of corporations. The answer is quite simple: for Friedman, the â€Å"divine law† that warrants a teleological suspension of the ethical is the accumulation of wealth. In order to accumulate wealth, the ethical obligations of all persons involved in a corporation can be suspended under the pretense that they together form a corporation that is and ought to be amoral and profit-hungry. I am being somewhat tongue-in-cheek, of course, because I doubt that Friedman would describe his position in these terms, but I am pointing to what I believe is a key reason that Friedman’s argument fails. In this short paper, I will first present what I believe are Friedman’s most fundamental arguments. I will then present my reasons that these arguments fail. Finally, I will discussShow MoreRelatedThe Song Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield850 Words   |  3 Pageshappiness, you must also take any blame that may be presented no one can take that for you either. There are many other musicians that have existential themes in their music and I have noticed that most of existentialism music seems to span from much of the well-known literature. Existentialism is prominently seen in literature through the minds of geniuses like Kierkegaard, Heidegger and Sartre. The Concept of Anxiety by Kierkegaard helps to explain the true definition of anxiety and why it existsRead MoreAn Article On The World Anti Doping Agency1242 Words   |  5 PagesOn June 9th, 2016, an article written by ESPN Senior Writer, Darren Rovell, was published on ESPN.com regarding Maria Sharapova’s two-year suspension over a positive doping test result (Rovell, 2016). Maria Sharapova, the highest-paid female athlete today, announced in March 2016 that she tested positive for taking meldonium, a banned substance that was recently added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) prohibited substance list. Initially, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) suspendedRead MoreHamlet: An Existential Tragedy1878 Words   |  8 Pageslife ensues, the notion of existentialism has been birthed to help individuals understand what their life’s me aning is. Although recently fathomed, this philosophy can be seen across a wide array of literary works that astonishingly predates the conception of existentialism itself. Individuals can identify specific elements that they empathize with and that inexplicably creates a cathartic moment in which the writer anticipates. More importantly, the idea of existentialism is seen in almost all ofRead MoreAnalysis Of Dostoevsky And Kierkegaard s The Grand Inquisitor 948 Words   |  4 Pagesthat, â€Å"the story of Abraham contains, then, a teleological suspension of the ethical. And the single individual he became higher than the universal. This is the paradox that, which cannot be mediated†¦ when a person walks what is in one sense the hard road of the tragic hero, there are many who can give him advice, but he who walks the narrow road of faith had no one to advise him--- no one understands him† (Kierkegaard, pg 23). There is a universal ethical law that all humans have to abide by. In theRead MoreSoren Kierkegarad: 3 Stages of Life Ways2829 Words   |  12 Pagesentity is lay beyond the reach of reason, logic, philosophical systems, theology or even psychology. Nonetheless, it was the source of all subjects. The branch of philosophy in which Kierkegaard gives birth what has come to be known as existentialism. Existentialism can best be described as a mood within philosophy that emphasizes the concrete and particular existence of man in the world. Later Existentialists described man as having no essence but only existence. Existentialism’s core philosophy