Good discussions sometimes need a devil’s advocate, so in the case of teaching ethics in college, this business school professor is assuming the role of the red-skinned pitchfork carrier.

If someone asked for my opinion on the best way to teach ethics in college, my reply would be that “ethics” should not be taught at all.  Now, before a reader wants to commit me, allow me to clarify my position.

Last week, NAS published three well-argued pieces on recommended approaches to ethics education.  There is very little that I disagree with in these essays; I would love to take an ethics course from all three of these individuals.  As I wrote in a piece on teaching ethics that I published last year, I agree with the notion that best way to present ethics in the classroom is to assign the writings of great thinkers of the past and to force students to justify their reasoning behind decisions that they make in their daily lives.  Yet, I emphasize present ethics because any attempt at “teaching ethics” is unlikely to bring about more ethical behavior from students because professors have no way to control behavior once students leave the classroom.   Much of what is called ethics education, especially in business schools, is unfortunately no more than an insurance policy against students’ future decision-making – “We taught him ethics here.  Please don’t blame the school.”

My frustration with the outcomes of “teaching ethics” is rooted in one particular anecdote.  I vividly remember when a student once told me that he was “studying for his ethics test.”  Ethics tests occur every day that an individual walks out the door.  The notion that ethics can be assessed in a manner similar to organic chemistry is a cause for concern. 

http://www.nas.org/polArticles.cfm?Doc_Id=1778