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Deontology
The Ethics of Duty
Deontology Claims:
Moral law is not defined in terms of consequences or
whether it promotes some goal as it is in ethical egoism
or utilitarianism.
Moral duties are transcultural and universally binding
When a moral law conflicts with a cultural norm, the
moral law takes precedence
They agree that duty is the basis of morality but they
disagree on the source of the morality.
– Kant says it comes from reason
– Sir W. David Ross says they are self-evident: Intuition
Often presented as being opposed to utilitarianism
– a sense of duty toward the maximum happiness
Confucius and Duty
Deontology and Virtue
Believed that the way to put the world back on track was
to instill a sense of respect for duty
– Duties were established by the ancient sages
– yi- righteousness: moral duty to do what is right
– yi is established through the uniting of our minds with the
universe
– The Tao- the way: “the principle that nourishes and develops all
things”
– Western deontologists focus on the individual while Confucian
deontology focuses on communitarian duties
The family and the community are more important than the self
– Three virtues that help carry out our duties: Wisdom,
Compassion, and Courage
Kant
Product of the Enlightenment- he coined the phrase
Believed that most people already knew right from wrong
Problem is not knowing what is right but doing what is
right
Only reason can provide a sound foundation for
universal morality
Morality is a priori- we know it to be true without any
reference to actual experience
Reason demands that moral duties are universal and
absolutely binding
Hypothetical imperative- what we ought to do in order to
achieve a defined goal
Three Propositions of Morality
To be moral the act must be done from a
sense duty.
Moral value comes from the maxim by
which action is determined and not in the
purpose; Depends on my personal
motivation
Duty is the necessity of an action with
respect
to the law
Categorical Imperative
Categorical Imperative- we ought to do
something regardless of consequences
– Act only on that maxim through which you can
at the same time will that it should become a
universal law
– Act as to treat humanity whether in thine own
person or in that of any other in every case as
an end in itself, never as a means only