Deontology is a big word for a way of thinking about what's right and wrong. It challenges how we usually make moral decisions.
At its heart, deontology says that actions are judged based on following rules or duties, not just their results. This can confuse us. Usually, we think about the outcomes of our actions. For example, we might decide if something is right or wrong based on how it affects people.
Let’s look at a famous example called the trolley problem. In this thought experiment, you have to decide whether to pull a lever to change the path of a trolley. This trolley is headed towards five people, but by pulling the lever, it will instead hit just one person. Most people feel they should pull the lever because it saves more lives. This is a consequentialist view—it looks at saving more people as the right choice.
However, someone who follows deontological ethics might say it’s wrong to actively decide to kill anyone, even if it saves five others. This difference can make people uncomfortable and lead them to question whether strict rules should be followed, no matter the situation.
Deontology also talks a lot about rights. It believes certain moral rights should never be broken. People should always be treated with respect, not just as a way to reach a goal. For example, if a deontologist believes lying is always wrong, then that person can’t lie, even if they think it would help someone feel better or save someone from harm.
Deontology also makes us think about what we value more in our choices. Often, we like to pick actions that help the most people, which is a part of a different way of thinking called utilitarianism. But deontology insists we must stick to certain moral rules, no matter the effects. This can seem strange when following these rules leads to bad results.
Also, deontology highlights the importance of sticking to our moral duties. Even if doing the right thing leads to unfortunate outcomes, a deontologist might say the person acted with moral integrity by following their rules. This can be hard for people to understand because they might think that what matters most is the result of our actions.
In summary, deontology shakes up our usual ideas about morality. It puts duty and following moral rules above the results of our actions. By insisting that some principles are always important, deontology makes us rethink what we believe is right or wrong. This can be uncomfortable and push us to have deeper discussions about ethics. The difference between deontology and the idea of thinking about the outcomes helps us understand ethical problems better and encourages us to think carefully about our moral choices.
Deontology is a big word for a way of thinking about what's right and wrong. It challenges how we usually make moral decisions.
At its heart, deontology says that actions are judged based on following rules or duties, not just their results. This can confuse us. Usually, we think about the outcomes of our actions. For example, we might decide if something is right or wrong based on how it affects people.
Let’s look at a famous example called the trolley problem. In this thought experiment, you have to decide whether to pull a lever to change the path of a trolley. This trolley is headed towards five people, but by pulling the lever, it will instead hit just one person. Most people feel they should pull the lever because it saves more lives. This is a consequentialist view—it looks at saving more people as the right choice.
However, someone who follows deontological ethics might say it’s wrong to actively decide to kill anyone, even if it saves five others. This difference can make people uncomfortable and lead them to question whether strict rules should be followed, no matter the situation.
Deontology also talks a lot about rights. It believes certain moral rights should never be broken. People should always be treated with respect, not just as a way to reach a goal. For example, if a deontologist believes lying is always wrong, then that person can’t lie, even if they think it would help someone feel better or save someone from harm.
Deontology also makes us think about what we value more in our choices. Often, we like to pick actions that help the most people, which is a part of a different way of thinking called utilitarianism. But deontology insists we must stick to certain moral rules, no matter the effects. This can seem strange when following these rules leads to bad results.
Also, deontology highlights the importance of sticking to our moral duties. Even if doing the right thing leads to unfortunate outcomes, a deontologist might say the person acted with moral integrity by following their rules. This can be hard for people to understand because they might think that what matters most is the result of our actions.
In summary, deontology shakes up our usual ideas about morality. It puts duty and following moral rules above the results of our actions. By insisting that some principles are always important, deontology makes us rethink what we believe is right or wrong. This can be uncomfortable and push us to have deeper discussions about ethics. The difference between deontology and the idea of thinking about the outcomes helps us understand ethical problems better and encourages us to think carefully about our moral choices.