CONFLICTS-OF-INTEREST

This paper has two distinct objectives. (1) I defend an analysis of th e concept of a conflict of interest. On my analysis the concept of a c onflict of interest is broader than is generally supposed. I argue tha t a very large class of cases not ordinarily regarded as conflicts of interest should be so regarded. Conflicts of interest are an integral feature of many professional relationships and do not (as is often sup posed) require the existence of ''external'' financial or personal rel ationships. (2) 1 defend and explain the common-sense view that confli cts of interest are prima facie wrong and argue that in ordinary cases it is wrong, all things considered, to allow an avoidable conflict of interest to occur. I attempt to establish these claims on the basis o f weak and relatively noncontroversial assumptions.