Q. You recently stated that selling and providing advice should be strictly separated. How does this apply to professionals? A. In a recent column, I explained that a salesperson doesn’t have to be objective. On the contrary, his or her job is to be an honest but partial advocate for the benefits of the product…
Q. My son is pretty quick, and his little league coach has been encouraging him to steal bases. I’m worried that this is improper behavior. A player deserves to advance if he earns it through a hit, or if the defense forfeits a base through an error. But is it really ethical to steal a…
Q. Is it ethical for pro athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs and treatments? Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir, The Jewish Ethicist responds. A. Before we relate specifically to hormones and the like, we need to clarify the Jewish attitude towards sports in general. At first glance, the various Jewish sources on competitive sports seem like a…
New Year: Time for Spiritual Accounting What the world of business can teach us about our annual process of repentance and renewal. Usually this column is devoted to taking messages from the world of Jewish tradition and applying them to the world of economic life. This New Year I want to go in the opposite…