Facing the Phenomenon of Evil

Abstract

In this post-Enron era, we have heard much talk about the need to demonstrate integrity and to avoid evil. But what exactly do we mean by the terms “evil” and “integrity”? This paper argues that there are two ways to approach evil—the moralistic and the ethical way. I contrast the two approaches and then offer an ethical account of evil and integrity. The paper considers three ethical traditions’ understanding of the idea of integrity and concludes with some considerations as to why it will continue to be difficult to eradicate corruption and evil. [Keywords] evil; moral; ethical; integrity; compassion; soul; Confucian; Buddhist; Christian