The Difficulty of Being a Moral Exemplar When a Moral Exemplar is Needed Most: The Case of Oskar Schindler ^☆

Order of authorship was determined by the toss of a coin.

Abstract

We argue that Oskar Schindler is a moral exemplar. Oskar Schindler and other moral exemplars should, according to Mayo, be emulated. Emulating Schindler when he acted as a moral exemplar could have led to others’ being helped during truly terrible times. Yet, had officialdom at that time known what Schindler was doing, he would have lost his life, and the lives of the many others he was able to save – as well as their progeny – would also have been lost. Thus, we underscore that it can be extraordinarily difficult for someone to be recognised as a moral exemplar when a moral exemplar is so desperately needed.

Citation

Schwartz, M. and Comer, D.R. (2013), "The Difficulty of Being a Moral Exemplar When a Moral Exemplar is Needed Most: The Case of Oskar Schindler ^☆

Order of authorship was determined by the toss of a coin.

", Moral Saints and Moral Exemplars (Research in Ethical Issues in Organizations, Vol. 10), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 153-168. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1529-2096(2013)0000010011