In a new book, a professor of applied ethics ponders over the conflicts about cooperation

I once met a colleague across campus who introduced me to a faculty friend. Within two minutes of learning what I do, the faculty member tried to convince me that researching and teaching ethics is a waste of time. This faculty member believed that humans are fundamentally self-interested and that I was confusing my business students by talking about fairy tales like morality and cooperation. According to them, the sooner we prepare students to live in an unjust world, the better.

Similarly, I’ve met faculty at conferences who teach their students that every workplace and every industry is a fierce competition. So, they should focus on accumulating resources and influence to get ahead. The courses most of these faculty teach are packed with valuable lessons on winning friends, crushing competitors, and power-posing yourself into a greater wealth of resources. I’m not questioning the value of these skills (and by now, it’s clear to everyone that I could certainly benefit from learning how to make a friend). Still, these classes rarely mention how to acquire resources ethically or use them responsibly. I worry that these courses might inadvertently encourage business students to do almost anything to get ahead, with no reservations about...

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