Deontology

Deontology
• The term “deontology” derives from the
Greek “deon” meaning “obligation” or
“duty”, and “logos” meaning “study”
Deontology

• An approach to Ethics that focuses on the

rightness or wrongness of actions
• It is sometimes described as “duty-based”
or “obligation-based”
Deontology
• Emphasizes the notion of acting on
principle rather than consequences. The
central concept of ethics involves duties
and rights
Modern Deontological Ethics
• Immanuel Kant
• With his theory of the Categorical
Imperative he was able to introduce the
Modern Deontological Ethics
Categorical Imperative
• A principle that is intrinsically valid and
that must be obeyed in all situations and
circumstances if our behavior is to
observe moral laws.
 Categorical Imperative

• Imperative is any proposition that

declares a certain action to be necessary.
• A hypothetical imperative would compel
action in a given circumstance
Categorical Imperative
• A categorical imperative would denote an
absolute, unconditional requirement that
exerts its authority in all circumstances,
both required and justified as an end in
itself.
Other types of deontology
Divine Command Theory
• States that an action is right if God has
decreed that it is right
Natural rights theory
• Which holds that humans have
absolute natural rights
Contractarian Ethics
• Moral norms derive their normative force
from the idea of contract or mutual
agreement.
• Developed by Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques
Rousseau and John Locke
Pluralistic Deontology
• Description of the deontological ethics
propounded by W. D Ross where there were
seven prima duties
Seven Prima Facie Duties
• Duty of beneficence, to help other people to increase
their pleasure and improve their character
• Duty of non – maleficence, to avoid harming other
people
• Duty of justice, to ensure people get what they deserve
• Duty of self – improvement, to improve ourselves
• Duty of reparation, to recompense someone if you have
acted wrongly towards them
• Duty of gratitude, to benefit people who have benefited
us
• Duty of promise – keeping, to act according to explicit
and implicit promises
 Critique of Deontology
Deontology does not give a clear guideline when conflict of values arise, or
when there are two conflicting duties. This is because it does not go far enough
to determine what is the basis of duty. Kant’s categorical imperative is not
reliable because it can be subjective and arbitrary. In fact, there are many
immoral acts which can be justified by the categorical imperative, e.g. abortion,
contraception, homosexual unions, death penalty, etc.