Deontological Ethics:

The approach to ethics by which the morality of an action is judged is known as Deontological ethics or deontology. In this, the morality of an action is judged based on the adherence of the action to the rules and regulations. Deontologists were keenly interested in the rules and duties.

In 1930, Five Types of Ethical Theory, the book by C.D. Brook firstly used the term deontological. This term is also described sometimes as duty or rule based ethics. There is also a notion that rules blind you to your duty. The consequentialist or teleological ethical theories stand in contrast with the deontological ethics.

Deontologists strongly believe that there are some actions which are wrong without any regards to the consequences that follow from them. The only good thing is the good will argued Immanuel Kant. According to him, the only determining factor of whether an action is good or bad is the will. If the motive of the person doing it is good then the action will be good. On contrary, if they are acting on the bad maxim, it will make their action wrong. For example if there motive is like “I will lie” then their action will also be wrong.

On the other hand W.D Ross who is the non-absolutist deontologists holds the view that the consequences of an action can make the action the right thing to do. For example the consequences of the action lying can sometime make the action lying as the right thing to do.  The values that are governed by the deontological rules were referred to as the protected values by Jonathan Baron and Mark Spranca.

C.D Broad contrasted the term deontological with the term teleological when he first used it in his works. The teleological works are mostly concerned with the outcomes and the consequences.  The main focus of Broad was to distinguish the positions of different theories which are keen about relationship between the right action and the values.

Concerned about the deontological ethics, Immanuel Kant argued that one must act in from duty in order to act morally in the right way. If it is said as the highest good, then it should be good without qualification and good in itself. He finally says that there is only thing that can be said to be good truly:

“Nothing in the world—indeed nothing even beyond the world—can possibly be conceived which could be called good without qualification except a good will”

Questions:

• What are deontological ethics or deontology?
• What is Immanuel Kant’s conclusion about good?