What is the main idea of deontology?
Deontology is a theory that suggests actions are good or bad according to a clear set of rules. Its name comes from the Greek word deon, meaning duty. Actions that obey these rules are ethical, while actions that do not, are not. This ethical theory is most closely associated with German philosopher, Immanuel Kant.
What is the deontology approach?
Deontology is an ethical theory that uses rules to distinguish right from wrong. This approach tends to fit well with our natural intuition about what is or isn’t ethical. Unlike consequentialism, which judges actions by their results, deontology doesn’t require weighing the costs and benefits of a situation.
What is an example of Deontological theory?
Deontology states that an act that is not good morally can lead to something good, such as shooting the intruder (killing is wrong) to protect your family (protecting them is right). In our example, that means protecting your family is the rational thing to do—even if it is not the morally best thing to do.
What is the supreme rule in Kant’s deontological ethics?
Thus, the supreme categorical imperative is: “Act only on that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.” Kant considered that formulation of the categorical imperative to be equivalent to: “So act that you treat humanity in your own person and in the person of everyone …
Why is deontology better than Consequentialism?
The main difference between deontology and consequentialism is that deontology focuses on the rightness or wrongness of actions themselves. Whereas, consequentialism focuses on the consequences of the action. Of these, consequentialism determines the rightness or wrongness of actions by examining its consequences.
What is a good example of deontology?
Deontology is defined as an ethical theory that the morality of an action should be based on whether that action itself is right or wrong under a series of rules, rather than based on the consequences of the action. An example of deontology is the belief that killing someone is wrong, even if it was in self-defense.
What is a good example of utilitarianism?
When individuals are deciding what to do for themselves alone, they consider only their own utility. For example, if you are choosing ice cream for yourself, the utilitarian view is that you should choose the flavor that will give you the most pleasure.
What is the weakness of consequentialism?
Consequentialism can struggle to compare different moral values. The other concern people express is the tendency of consequentialism to use ‘ends justify the means’ logic. If all we are concerned with is getting good outcomes, this can seem to justify harming some people in order to benefit others.