DEONTOLOGY

Deontological Ethics
DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS

 Duty-based ethics
 Derived from the Greek word “deon” meaning “duty” and
“logos” means “science”
 Theory that suggests actions are good or bad according to a
clear set of rules.
 Focuses on the act and consequences do not matter.
BASIC ASSUMPTIONS

 No matter how morally good their consequences,

some choices are morally forbidden.
 What makes a choice right is its conformity with
moral norm.
 The Right is said to have priority over the Good.
 EXAMPLE: ACCOUNTS PAYABLE CHECK

The employee is responsible for reviewing invoices and expense reports,

and the company policy requires original receipts to justify the items on
the expense report However, the employee submitted photocopies only.

A clerk with a duty-based ethic may reject the employee’s report and
require the originals even though other clerks may simply process the
report without question.

To know that this is the obligation or duty makes breaking the rule
morally wrong.
 How does deontology differ from virtue ethics
Act Guidance vs. Character Guidance
Deontology and Consequentialism provide act guidance; that is,
they tell us what sorts of actions we should take rather than what
sort of people we ought to become or character guidance.
 CONSEQUENTIALISM
THEORIES
• Hold that an action’s
rightness or wrongness
depends on the consequence
it causes (e.g happiness, pain,
etc.)
DEONTOLOGICAL
THEORIES
• Hold that an action’s
rightness or wrongness
depends on its conformity to
a certain moral norm
regardless of the
consequence , i.e. “Right vs.
Good”
 Examples of Deontological Theories

• Divine Command Theory

• It’s the idea that we have a duty to obey God
• Is a moral theory, and moral theology, but, strictly speaking, it is
not normative moral philosophy.
• “The Golden Rule”
• Also known as the ethic of reciprocity: “Do to others as you want
them to do to you.”
• Natural law and natural right theories
• Humans have reasoning and the Laws of Nature are
discernable by human reason.
• Humans have a natural drive to eat, drink, sleep and
procreate.
• Kantian Ethics (categorical imperative)
 IMPERATIVES

An imperative is a command to act. It is

prescriptive.
 HYPOTHETICAL AND CATEGORICAL
IMPERATIVES
HYPOTHETICAL IMPERATIVES CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVES
 Based on inclination or desire  Based on reason alone
 “the practical necessity of a  “an action as objectively
possible action as means to necessary in itself apart from its
something else that is willed (or relation to a further end.”
at least which one might
 “You ought to study because
possibly will).”
you are student.”
 “If you want to pass the test,
you ought to study.”
AGENT-CENTERED VS. PATIENT CENTERED
DEONTOLOGY
AGENT-CENTERED DEONTOLOGY

 Theories focused on the duties of the moral agent (the person

acting) rather than the rights of the person being acted upon
(patient-centered theories).
 Agent centered theories can be further divided into those that
focus on the mental state of the agent and those that focus on
the nature of the agent’s actions.
 An action is wrong or right because of the intentions that
motivated it.
 Similar to doctrine of doing vs. allowing
PATIENT-CENTERED DEONTOLOGY

 These theories are rights-based rather than duty-based;

some versions claim to be agent-neutral in the
reasons/obligations they give moral agents.
 These ideas are focused on people’s rights as a reason to
act or not to act.
 It is a right against being used by another for the user’s
or others’ benefit.
GOOD POINTS OF DUTY-BASED ETHICS

 Emphasizes the value of every human being

 Says some acts are always wrong
 Provides ‘certainty’
 Deals with intentions and motives
BAD POINTS OF DUTY-BASED ETHICS

 Absolutist
 Allows acts that make the world a less good place
 Hard to reconcile conflicting duties
KANTIAN ETHICS

 Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)

 Good Will acts solely out of Reverence for Moral Law

 WWKD – What would Kant do?

KANT - BASICS

 Reason and Morality:

1. Reason is not only the judge, but also the source, of right and wrong.
RATIONALITY is what allows humans to be moral beings.
2. Moral objectives exist and can be discerned through reason.
3. When properly used (rationally guided), will is good
4. Moral principles that meet the demands of reason are always valid for
everyone
KANT - BASICS

 Moral Truth & Ethical Duty

1. Moral truth stands by itself; it is autonomous and self-
contained
2. Ethical duty should not be based on the opinions of anu
individual, group, tradition, faith, cultural norm or even God’s
will. They should be based on reason.
3. Ethical duties are the same for all
4. Being good is a matter of reverence for duty
TYPES OF DUTIES

1. Perfect Duties
Strict or Inflexible duties
These are never okay to break

2. Imperfect duties
Laxer duties
Duties such as the duty to help people in need (beneficence)
KANT REJECTS UTILITARIANISM:

 A utilitarian would say that it’s okay to use a person as a

means to an end if the end is good.
 Kant would say that we should respect autonomy and
the dignity of persons. Therefore, a person cannot be
used as a means to end without their consent.
CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVES

 CI1 – Formula of Universal Law:

 “Act only on that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it
should become a universal law.”
 Translation: Can 1 universalize my act without contradiction?

Kant’s 4 illustrations:
Do not harm the self (suicide)
Do not harm or deceive others (lying)
Do what is good for the self (develop your talents)
Do what is good for others (beneficence)
CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVES

 CI3 – “The Kingdom of Ends”

 Reason is both the source of moral law (legislator) and the subject of the law
(citizen).

 Accordingly: “Act always as if you were, through the maxims, a lawmaking

member of the moral community, bound to obey the laws you impose upon
yourself and others”

 Translation:
 Can this act become a biding moral law of all of us (…including you)?
MORAL AUTONOMY

 The ability to think critically and independently about

moral issues.
 It is concerned with independent attitude of a person
related to moral/ethical issues.
 It helps to improve self-determination among the
individuals.
UNIVERSALIZABILITY

 The principle that particular moral judgments

always carry an implied universal judgment.
 Always act in such a way that you would be willing
for it to become a general law that everyone else
should do the same in the same situation.