Hrvoje Jurić
Episode · #350
EKUMENA I ETIKA U POSLOVANJU Hrvoje Jurić
Guest Hrvoje JurićHosted by Augustin BačićMay 3, 2026
Hrvoje Jurić
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation
Before discussing ethics in business, a conversation must first clarify what 'ethics' actually means. Hrvoje Jurić, a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Zagreb, argues that ethics is a science, a branch of philosophy, distinct from morality — the spontaneous human reflection on right and wrong. This distinction sets a more rigorous foundation for considering how ethical principles apply to our lives and work. Readers will walk away with a clearer understanding of what it means to act ethically, both as individuals and within the broader economic system.
Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Ethics, as Professor Jurić defines it, is a science — a theoretical framework for understanding human behavior — while morality refers to the spontaneous, day-to-day reflections and decisions we make. The two are often conflated, but separating the theoretical discipline from lived experience allows for a more precise discussion of human action.
02
Freedom is both the prerequisite for action and its ultimate goal, but it is not boundless. As Jurić explains, 'my freedom is limited by the freedom of others' — a principle that defines the necessary boundaries within which individual liberties can coexist in society.
03
You cannot legislate ethics. Jurić notes that morality is too fluid to be codified into laws, though mature societies do establish moral norms. True ethical maturity in a society is measured not just by the consistency of its moral norms, but by their universality — applying equally to all people, not just specific groups.
04
The contemporary understanding of 'economy' has been narrowed, Jurić argues, to mean only business in the most restrictive sense. He advocates for a broader view that encompasses work, management, and 'privreda,' the act of creating for the common good. Without this wider perspective, business loses its ethical grounding.
05
Ancient philosophy, specifically Aristotle, viewed ethics, economics, and politics as interconnected components of practical philosophy. Jurić reminds us that the idea of separating economic activity from ethical and political considerations is a modern deviation, ignoring the integral role of morality in managing a household or a state.