Leader: It pays to think business

A theologian with an eye for the market takes over at the Arts and Humanities Research Council while Cambridge philosophers advise BT on how to instil loyalty in their customers.

Is nowhere free from the rampant commercialisation of higher education? Perhaps not, but critics should not be too quick to condemn. Artists have relied on sponsors of various types since time immemorial, and acclaimed writers have penned reviews for the most commercial media organisations. Other practical applications of apparently "pure" academic subjects may widen horizons as well as producing much-needed extra income.

The Cambridge project is part of a wider attempt to link philosophy and business. To do so can only be beneficial for graduates in the labour market and is certain to give rise to interesting philosophical questions.

The philosophers can look after themselves when questions of integrity arise.