Christian Kwasi Owusu Deontology Deontology is a branch of ethical theory which judges the morality of an action based on the

intensions or motives behind the action. Unlike utilitarianism which is a teleological, and thus consequentialist theory, deontology is not concerned with the consequences of the action. Suppose the only way to save the world from some impending doom was to sacrifice a terminally ill person; while the utilitarian would say the action was morally right since it would result in the greatest utility, the deontologist would consider the act independently of its consequences and would question the motives behind the action. If the intention of the person perpetrating the act was to ultimately save the world, this person, in the eyes of a deontologist, would be guilty of treating the terminally ill fellow as a means and not an ends. One important concept in deontology is the idea of intrinsic value. Deontologists believe all humans have worth simply by virtue of being human. This intrinsic worth is immeasurable and cannot be corrupted or compromised. Therefore, going back to the example above, a deontologist could argue that sacrificing the terminally ill person would be morally wrong since claiming it right would imply that the persons intrinsic worth had been diminished by his illness, or that one persons intrinsic worth was less than the entire worlds. One of the greatest contributors to the theory of deontology is Immanuel Kant. Kant was an 18th century German philosopher who believed that people only acted morally when they acted with a good will, and a good will was only good when the person in question had a duty or obligation (deon) to act that way. One of the most controversial aspects of Kants philosophy was his coupling of deontology with moral absolutism. Kant thus maintained that it was always wrong to lie even if someones life was at stake. However, not all deontologists are moral absolutists. In the case of Baby Theresa, one professional bioethicist strenuously objected to the parents suggestion to donate the babys organs saying, It just seems too horrifying to use people as a means to other peoples ends. (Rachel 16). This argument could be called deontological as it cites the concept of treating people as ends, not means.