Socrates & Ethics

Socrates – An Ethics Philosopher In the world of business accounting, ethics plays a major role in the daily operations of a business. Not only are businesses responsible for incorporating ethical standards into their operations, but accountants are also responsible for ensuring they perform in an ethical manner. So often, there is a thin line between what is considered ethical and what is considered unethical, especially when a company is considering profit over ethics. However, top level professionals or accountants hold the power to set the tone at the top, lead by example, and provide a standard or code of ethics for peers to follow without hesitation that will ultimately lead to profits earned in an ethical fashion. In efforts to make reasonable decisions and set reasonable standards of ethics, some professionals and accountants may turn to the philosophy of ethics, and the philosophers who have contributed to this subject matter. One of the many great philosophers who have contributed a great deal of insight into the field of ethics is Socrates. Socrates, a Greek philosopher and logician, was born in 469 Before Common Era (B.C.E.). When Socrates reached the age of eighteen, he was presented to examined and entered onto the citizens' roll, making him eligible for the many tasks of government determined by lot or required of all citizens, beginning with two years of compulsory training in the Athenian militia (SEP, 2009). After completing his two years of military training, Socrates was subject to being sent beyond the borders of Attica with the army, but these were years of relative peace, so he is likely to have practiced a trade (SEP). It is recorded that Socrates took a keen interest in the works of other philosophers such as Plato, Zeno of Elea, and Parmenides (EWB, 1997). Socrates himself wrote nothing; therefore it is assumed that evidence of his life and activities must come from the writings of Plato and Xenophon (EWB). It is reported