The Ethics of Career Choice

How to take a philosophical view of your career

We hosted philosopher John Danaher on Network Capital to discuss the future of work, AI ethics, and the ethics of career choices. My dissertation at Oxford builds on some of his papers. While I disagree with him on several points, I admire the way he thinks and advances his arguments.

"Academic politics is the most vicious and bitter form of politics, because the stakes are so low.” Henry Kissinger

Oxford’s Future of Humanity Institute is closing its doors. The final letter said, “Over time FHI faced increasing administrative headwinds within the Faculty of Philosophy (the Institute’s organizational home).  Starting in 2020, the Faculty imposed a freeze on fundraising and hiring.  In late 2023, the Faculty of Philosophy decided that the contracts of the remaining FHI staff would not be renewed.  On 16 April 2024, the Institute was closed down.”

The Ethics of Career Choice

To fully grasp the nuances of the ethics of career and job choices, it's crucial to have a foundational understanding of utilitarian philosophy. Utilitarianism, a major theory in the realm of ethics, suggests that the best action is the one that maximizes overall happiness or "utility." This philosophy evaluates the morality of an action based on its outcomes or consequences, with the ultimate aim being to produce the greatest good for the greatest number.

Consider the example of a young graduate deciding between working for a non-profit that helps underprivileged children or a corporate firm that offers a much higher salary. Utilitarianism would weigh the potential happiness generated by the graduate's work in the non-profit—improving children's lives, contributing to social equity—against the personal happiness derived from the higher income and possibly more comfortable lifestyle provided by the corporate job. If the impact on the children's lives substantially outweighs the personal gains from the higher salary, a utilitarian might argue that the morally correct choice is to work for the non-profit.

Effective altruism, a philosophy and social movement that applies evidence and reason to determine the most effective ways to benefit others, complements the utilitarian framework in making such career decisions. It encourages individuals to consider how they can use their resources, including their careers, to do the most good. For example, effective altruism might lead the young graduate discussed above to choose the corporate job not because it offers personal financial benefits, but because it enables them to donate a significant portion of their higher salary to effective charities, potentially achieving a greater overall positive impact than they might directly at the non-profit. This rationale rests on utilitarian calculations, where the graduate’s high earning and subsequent substantial donations might contribute to broader systemic changes or support more efficient charitable endeavors that exceed the direct contributions they could make working at the non-profit.