LEANDRO KARNAL - Palestra: 'Ética nas relações sociais e profissionais'

Overview: Karnal’s “Ethics of Imperfection”

Leandro Karnal defends an “ethics of imperfection.” Being ethical does not mean being flawless; it means being perfectible—someone who:

• makes mistakes
• recognizes them
• feels regret
• apologizes
• tries to repair the harm

He contrasts this with an unethical person, described as someone who:

• takes pride in wrongdoing
• repeats the wrongdoing
• justifies it instead of correcting course

Ethics as Personal, Practical, and Daily

Karnal argues that ethics is inherently personal and practical. It begins in everyday choices and interactions, such as:

• returning extra change
• managing anger in traffic
• correcting small wrongs

Rather than being built on the expectation of perfection, ethics is reinforced by self-scrutiny. He also stresses that even “good intentions” can fail when communicated poorly. For Karnal, ethical improvement is an ongoing routine—ethics must be renewed like a bath.

Ethics, Politics, and Institutional Corruption

A major section connects ethics to politics and institutions. Karnal claims that corruption is not separate from society. Instead:

• corrupt government is a symptom of deeper moral breakdown
• bribery and “indirect education” help cultivate this breakdown
• “indirect education” rewards illegality as a way to avoid obligations

He criticizes how small ethical evasions—such as:

• false documents
• petty theft
• taking advantage of systems

—become a chain that erodes trust and social life, ultimately affecting public services, including public schools and public resources.

“Ethics Equals Peace”: Stability Through Doing Right

Karnal develops an “ethics equals peace” thesis. Ethical living is portrayed as the easiest and most stable way to live because it:

• reduces tension and fear
• minimizes the need for constant concealment

By contrast, living without ethics creates anxiety and insecurity: a person is always at risk of being caught or facing consequences. The reward of ethics is summarized as friendship and trust:

• ethical people attract trustworthy friends
• accomplices are depicted as unstable and self-interested

Against Magical/Relativistic Thinking

Karnal argues against ideas that dissolve responsibility through magic or moral relativism. While he acknowledges moral complexity, he insists that some actions remain consistently wrong—for example:

• theft does not stop being theft over time

For him, ethics is rational and internal. Unlike external “morality” rules, ethics involves choosing not to harm even when no one is watching.

Ethics, Agency, and Meaning

He ties ethics to agency and meaning: individuals must take responsibility for their role in broader social problems, including:

• ineffective state services
• poor public transportation
• issues in public schools

At the same time, he recognizes limits—for example, death cannot be prevented. He closes with a wish for a more just and ethical Brazil and for a better university life.

Presenters / Contributors

• Leandro Karnal (speaker)