Criticism of Consequentialism:
The deontological criticism of consequentialism would suggest that the very fact that two identical acts can be highly ethical or highly unethical in different circumstances renders consequentialism purely subjective and dependent on opinion instead of objective principles. In that view, the deontological ethical approach may produce unintended negative results on occasion, but at least deontological ethics are predictable and consistent; furthermore, deontological values lead to the better choice of conduct often enough to justify any specific instances where practical injustices could result from adherence to rules.
Adhering to rules is the surest way of ensuring ethical human conduct notwithstanding that isolated societies may establish rules that could be defined objectively as unethical. One of the best examples of the impracticality of consequentialism is the general law of false arrest in most American states. A citizen arrested unlawfully by a duly authorized law enforcement officer may not flee from or legally resist that arrest with physical force, despite being entirely innocent of any criminal charges justifying that arrest.
Consequentialism would allow the innocent individual to resist to flee, because the consequences of arrest and penal confinement in that circumstance would be unjust.
Deontology recognizes the importance of requiring respect for the authority of authorized agents of the state, even in proceeding error, and would require the individual wrongfully arrested to submit to the arrest and pursue legally recognized recourses after the fact.
Consequentialist Response:
The consequentialist would respond that ethical analysis would simply recognize and incorporate the potential consequences of allowing citizens to exercise independent belief in determining the validity or invalidity of a rule (or, in the specific example, the lawfulness or unlawfulness of an arrest). Since the consequences of permitting flight from or overt resistance to authority in any circumstance would undermine the process of administering law in society and ensuring maximum public safety, the...
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