I won't begin to link to the range of blog posts about Sibelius v. Hobby Lobby and its companion case that were argued before the Supreme Court. Instead, I'll link to one here which goes part way to a point that I've often made: Corporations do not exist to make profits. Profits are a means to an end, in Aristotelian terms an efficient cause of a final cause. Check here and here for elaborations of what I mean.
Corporate ends or purposes can be good or bad, useful or pernicious, because corporations are agents of human beings and we can be good or bad, useful or pernicious. Thus, corporations like their owners can reflect what we commonly call religious ends. While corporations do not "exercise" religion, their purpose can implement the religion of their shareholders, which is the case regardless of whether the corporation is for-profit or not, whether the corporation sells paint or crafts or cars.
Corporate ends or purposes can be good or bad, useful or pernicious, because corporations are agents of human beings and we can be good or bad, useful or pernicious. Thus, corporations like their owners can reflect what we commonly call religious ends. While corporations do not "exercise" religion, their purpose can implement the religion of their shareholders, which is the case regardless of whether the corporation is for-profit or not, whether the corporation sells paint or crafts or cars.
No comments:
Post a Comment