Deontological Vs. Teleological Ethical Theories

University:
California State University, Northridge
Course:
PSY 150 | Introduction to Psychology
Academic year:

2023
Views:

322

Pages:

2
Author:

Jithin J I

DEONTOLOGICAL VS. TELEOLOGICAL ETHICAL THEORIES Introduction   Most contemporary Western philosophers agree there are three broad categories of normative ethical theories:  Deontological theories  Teleological theories  Virtue ethics The key distinction between deontological and teleological theories is how they define and relate the concepts of right/wrong and good/evil. Teleological Theories  Also called consequentialist theories  Focus on the good - define right/wrong in terms of the net amount of good resulting from an act  Ethicality determined by the effects/consequences of actions  Example: Whether deceiving research participants is ethical depends on the balance of benefits vs harms resulting from the research Deontological Theories  Focus on duties and rules - the intrinsic right/wrong of actions  Independent of consequences  Generally formulated as prohibitions - what is impermissible, not what is required  Example: Deceiving participants is wrong irrespective of benefits from the research Issues with Deontological Theories  Difficulty dealing with conflicting rules  Possible solutions:  Rank order principles  Narrowly formulate rules  Act deontology - evaluate each act on case-by-case basis Kant's Moral Theory  Quintessential deontological theory  Single moral principle: Do not violate anyone's dignity, autonomy, and rights Conclusion  Deontological theories focus on duties and rules, teleological theories on consequences of actions  Distinction lies in how they define right/wrong versus good/evil  Deontology struggles with conflicting rules, teleology with calculating consequences In summary, the key distinction between deontological and teleological ethical theories is whether right/wrong is defined in terms of duties and rules (deontology) or consequences of actions (teleology). While both have their issues, Kant's theory that human dignity and rights should not be violated highlights a key contribution of the deontological perspective.