Learning Through Disagreement ― A Workbook for the Ethics of Business

Learning through Disagreement begins with a request: choose to engage in dialogue rather than debate.The goal of dialogue is not to defeat an opponent but rather to better understand another's perspective, allowing for the solution of problems that may otherwise seem intractable. This workbook offers practical instruction in how to locate underlying assumptions and values so as to identify points of overlap which can serve as building blocks for agreement. It also concisely presents several key ethical theories and shows how we can critically apply those theories to disagreements in the workplace and beyond. Realistic examples of common business issues are discussed throughout, and detachable worksheets for individual or group use are interspersed to encourage readers to engage directly in the process of constructive dialogue.

Marvin T. Brown teaches in the Department of Philosophy at the University of San Francisco. He is the author of several books, including Corporate Integrity: Rethinking Organizational Ethics and Leadership and Civilizing the Economy: A New Economics of Provision.