Abstract
An attempt is made to present an idea of morals and ethics without essentialism and without normative presuppositions. Inspired by Niklas Luhmann's systems theory, morals is defined as a code, or a distinction between right and wrong. Moral observation is using the moral code with a view of designating one or the other side of the code. In order to distribute the two sides, the code must be combined with a program which must be interpreted in concrete situations. As both code, program and interpretation may be contested, morals is a controversial affair. Despite classical ambitions, its validity is not universal, but local. Moral pluralism is used as point of departure for a new concept of ethics, using an extreme reduced version of the Apel-Habermasian idea of discourse ethics, but without any normative idea of rationality. Ethics has to do with shared values among parties with different moral positions. This concept of ethics may be used in organizations, which are defined as autopoietic systems with decisions as the self-created elements. Ethics may be used as a new premise for decision making in organizations and may compensate for problems which are inherent in using the normal codes of money and power. Four problem areas are dealt with: the problem of identity, the problem of blindness, the problem of non-knowledge, and the problem of control of the uncontrollable.
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