The Relation Between Ethics and Innovation

At first glance it might seem that innovation and ethics are two opposing concepts. Ethics has a prescriptive element. It sets out what we can and cannot do, and therefore limits our scope of action. By contrast, innovation leads to doing things differently, breaking the mold, overcoming barriers. In this sense, there may be those who would believe that ethics could limit innovation. But that view misinterprets what ethics is all about. Ethics cannot be reduced to a legalistic view of human behavior, much less to a negative view that defines ethics as a list of prohibitions. A positive, comprehensive view of ethics will make us realize that ethics and innovation are closely related: that innovation – like any other human activity – is deeply rooted in ethics, and that ethics inspires and encourages innovation. In this chapter we will put aside the ethical dilemmas that may arise with respect to innovation, and will move into a more conceptual and positive dimension.