Utilitarianism and Deontology
John Stuart Mill's theory of Utilitarianism and Immanuel Kant's Deontological theory approach the question of ethics from diametrically opposite points-of-view: "Consequentialist theories...try to ground moral judgments in human well-being. Kantian theories...try to ground moral judgments in the rational nature of the moral subject, whose inherent dignity they emphasize." (Aune & Berger, p. 125) It is the objective of this paper to briefly explain and compare the two theories.
Mill's theory of Utilitarianism is considered a consequentialist theory of ethics for the simple reason that the theory propounds that the ethicality of actions is a function of their consequences. For Mill, that consequence was happiness because he deemed that goal as the one that human beings naturally sought out. Thus, he considered utilitarianism a morally optimal course of action, as it offered a path that was most useful to human beings. While Mill's theory may have been based on a practical approach, his theory has often been criticized for its apparent failure to consider the intrinsic value of actions: "The...
Utilitarianism, Deontology, Virtue Ethics Ethics essay: The similarities and differences between utilitarianism, deontological ethics, and virtue ethics Utilitarianism is the philosophy that all ethical decisions must strive to do 'the greatest good for the greatest number of people.' In this ethical system, the ethical actor functions as a moral observer, dispassionately making decisions without regard to him or herself or his or her personal investment in the decision. Utilitarianism is a system
Ethics and Morality: Utilitarianism, Deontology, And Rights Ethics Principles Dramatized Example of Utilitarianism At some point in the popular investigative TV show 24, Jack Bauer, an influential counterterrorism officer, questions terrorist Syed Ali, seeking to get him to reveal the location of a nuclear bomb that has been set to detonate in Los Angeles. Ali, however, is reluctant to cooperate, and Bauer, who unfortunately does not have the pleasure of time, orders
Utilitarianism is a consequentialist ethical framework. The consequences of an action are more important than the motivations behind the action or the action itself. An action has "utility" if it serves the greatest good. The basic principle of utilitarianism is creating the greatest good for the greatest number of people, or the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. The ethics of utilitarianism differ from ethical egoism in that
Deontology vs. Utilitarianism THE RIGHT CHOICE Deontology is an ethical theory, which states actions should be performed according a previously ranked set of values (Johnson, 1996). It states that some rights must not be violated even if it may produce the greatest overall good. It sees rightness as something intrinsic, rather than extrinsic, to the action performed. It is generally attributed to the philosophy of Immanuel Kant on categorical imperatives. Deontology urges
As stated in the AICPA code of conduct, the accountants need to put aside their own points-of-view and use the unified school of thought that is presented in the code. This means that the accountants should work on a deontological perspective since the utilitarianism perspective is akin to breaking or bending the rules in order to satisfy their own interests. The professional code of conduct was developed as a result
The potential to be a good person is the core of Aristotelian ethics, which also posits that individuals should make decisions based on their desire to do good and their potential to do good. Virtue ethics is not based either on consequences or on absolute moral values and can thus provide a solid middle ground for basing any ethical economics theory. Unlike deontology, virtue ethics does not rely on
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