consequentialism vs deontology

Copyright © Opinion Front & Buzzle.com, Inc. Like its previously-mentioned counterpart, it focuses on conduct, but there is a minor difference between deontology and consequentialism in this case. Deontology and consequentialism are two contrasting normative ethical theories that determine the morality of an action. 1. From a neutral perspective, however, it would be better to tell him the truth, despite the fact that it might be considered cruel for many, because he would at least get a chance to say goodbye, to do the things he hadn’t done so far. Consequentialists state that maximum happiness achieved is what is good; the actions that maximize this good are right. Her areas of interests include literature, language, linguistics and also food. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The focus is on getting what is good, and getting what you want. Meanwhile, deontology determines the rightness or wrongness of actions by examining action themselves, without focusing on their consequences. Immanuel Kant, a famous deontologist, is considered to have formulated modern deontological ethics, which stresses on the fact that the morality of a person is dependent on how well he fulfills his duties and obligations. 3 Reasons Doing Nothing Can Actually be Productive, 3 Myths Far Too Many People Believe About the Past. It concentrates on the correctness and wrongness of actions based on how well the rules of duty and responsibility were followed. Deontology takes root from the Greek words deon (duty) and logos (study). While going through a trying situation, an individual tends to do what is right at that time, for it does not make sense to think about the likes of deontology or consequentialism. The main difference between deontology and consequentialism is that deontology focuses on the rightness or wrongness of actions themselves. An individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a monograph in OSO for personal use. Deontology is a sub-category of consequentialism that focuses on punishment for breaking rules, or harm to society based on breaking rules. Furthermore, consequentialism is often contrasted with deontology as well as virtue ethics. It does not hold true if the two requirements are in conflict. You could not be signed in, please check and try again. The central question in both these cases is, ‘What you ought to do?’ That is to say, the question focuses what you should do, rather than what you want to do, or whether you should do what you feel like. Here, you are demonstrating a deontological position as you are disregarding the possible consequences of your actions when determining what is right and what is wrong. For instance, consider that a man has saved enough money to buy a house for his family, but has to deal with an unfortunate situation when his son meets with an accident. Ross. https://opinionfront.com/consequentialism-vs-deontology-vs-virtue-ethics If you think you should have access to this title, please contact your librarian. To follow the set rules and regulations can be one of the weaknesses and strengths of deontology. , and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us What it considers is the ideals and values you have followed that have resulted in the best possible action. According to this theory, people have to do the right action, even if it brings bad results. Deontologists state that the right action performed or the state of affairs that led to the right action are good, while the fact that the action was done in accordance with the set rules is right. Virtue ethics state that the man must be ideal and righteous and moral, and have the criminal punished despite the fact that he is his son. “Ethics – Introduction to Ethics: Duty-Based Ethics.” BBC, Available here.2. We hope you enjoy this website. One of the most stated examples of this concept is in nursing. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Virtue ethics seems to have taken root in ancient Greek philosophy as well. Deontology and consequentialism are two contrasting, normative ethical theories that determine the morality of an action. The practical focus is to determine what is rational―as per the rules and as per the correct action. In such a case, the best and right action would be to save his son, for if his son is safe and sound, he will be mentally happy and relieved to earn more money and plan a better future for his family. Subtle DistinctionAccording to American philosopher John Rawls, under deontology, an action is right if it is good and vice versa. Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content. Get a brand new article like this in your inbox every Friday. Public users can however freely search the site and view the abstracts and keywords for each book and chapter. Consequentialism is a type of normative ethical theory which states that the moral quality of an action is completely determined by its consequences, and nothing else. This chapter first examines Sidgwick’s critique of deontology and defence of consequentialism, arguing that it is repeatedly unfair, holding the principles it criticizes to standards Sidgwick did not apply to his own consequentialist axioms, and in particular fails by lacking Ross’s concept of prima facie duty; this shows both in Sidgwick’s critiques of deontology and in his equivocal statements of his axioms. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Prichard, W.D. While the above concepts exhibit certain criteria for morality, the truth is, moral conduct widely depends on circumstances, which is probably why the cliché ‘it was all in the moment’ is actually true. date: 26 November 2020. Since childhood, we are conditioned to believe certain things, conditioned to judge what actions can be called right and wrong.