Deontological Ethical Theory

Topic: DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICAL THEORY

Contents:

A. Historical Origin
 Early beginning of human civilization
• The word of the king is the law
 Deontological
Greek word “dein” or “deon” meaning “To be obligated” or simply “duty”

B.Kants’ Major Contribution to Deontological Theory
 Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
• Avid defender of deontological theory
• Contributed as many important and brilliant ideas to the philosophical study of ethics

C.The Good Will: The Core of Kant’s Ethics
 Morality of an action lies on the inner motive rather than the external effects
 Kants’ ethics primarily based on good will
 Duty must be done out of pure reverence to the moral law

D.Duty over Inclination
“A person is only acting morally only when he suppresses his feelings and inclinations and does that which he is obliged to do”

 Inclination
means doing the things that one’s feels like doing, and thus no obligation exists.
 Example:
Helping your neighbor to fix her flat tire.

• Three possible reasons of helping:
1) Expectation of the reward-immoral
2) Pity-immoral
3) Duty-moral

1 is done out of desire to get a reward and 2 is done out of emotion thus, the acts are considered immoral. On the other hand, 3 is done out of obligation and this makes the act moral.

E.Duty is Superior to Happiness
“Our duties cannot consist simply in following rules that promote pleasure and avoidance of pain as the utilitarian’s claim, since that would make right actions depend upon consequences, on how well they satisfied our desires”



 Example:
1) Lying
2) Breaking promise

The above examples are immoral actions not because it can create bad consequences but because these are wrong in itself.

F.The Categorical Imperative: The Universalizability Principle
“Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law”

 Maxim is a personal and subjective guiding principle
 We must universalize our moral judgement

G.The Principle of Humanity (Respect for Persons)
 Also known as ’Principle of Ends’
 Concerns respect for the dignity of persons
 Rational beings are ends in themselves
 Do not treat others as means

H.Autonomy of The Will (Kingdom of Ends)
“For without personal autonomy, Morality becomes an impossibility”

 Autonomous will
The will becomes autonomous when the genuinely moral actions are chosen:
• Freely
• Rationally
• By The Self (Autonomously)
 Kingdom of ends
It is a moral universe of the moral beings in which:
• Respect for Intrinsic Worth
• Respect for Value of All Persons
is exercised by everyone.

1. Deontological Ethical Theory Chapter 5

2. Historical origin

3. Early beginning of human civilization The word of the king is the law Deontological Greek word “ dein ” or “ deon ” meaning “To be obligated” or simply “duty”

4. Kants ’ major contribution to deontological theory

5. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) Avid defender of deontological theory Contributed as many important and brilliant ideas to the philosophical study of ethics

6. The good will the core of Kant’s ethics

7. Morality of an action lies on the inner motive rather than the external effects Kants ’ ethics primarily based on good will Duty must be done out of pure reverence to the moral law

8. Duty over Inclination

9. “A person is only acting morally only when he suppresses his feelings and inclinations and does that which he is obliged to do”

10. INCLINATION means doing the things that one’s feels like doing, and thus no obligation exists.

11. Expectation of the reward pity duty Immoral EXAMPLE: Helping your neighbor to fix her flat tire Immoral Moral Three possible reasons of helping:

12. Duty is superior to happiness

13. “Our duties cannot consist simply in following rules that promote pleasure and avoidance of pain as the utilitarian’s claim, since that would make right actions depend upon consequences, on how well they satisfied our desires”

14. lying EXAMPLE: Breaking promises

15. The categorical imperative the universalizability principle

16. “Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law ”

17. Maxim is a personal and subjective guiding principle We must universalize our moral judgement

18. The principle of humanity (respect for persons)

19. Also known as ’Principle of Ends’ Concerns respect for the dignity of persons Rational beings are ends in themselves Do not treat others as means

20. Autonomy of the will (kingdom of ends)

21. “For without personal autonomy, Morality becomes an impossibility”

22. Autonomous will The will becomes autonomous when the genuinely moral actions are chosen: Freely Rationally By The Self (Autonomously)

23. It is a moral universe of the moral beings in which: Respect For Intrinsic Worth Respect For Value Of All Persons is exercised by everyone . Kingdom of ends