Name: Aldrin P.

Barde

Level: II

Block: B

Topic: ETHICAL THEORIES

ETHICAL THEORIES

An ethical theory is a mechanism for assessing whether a particular action or rule is

ethically justified. It can help us to sharpen our moral vision, it helps us to determine
whether an action or a rule is ethically right, wrong, or permissible.

TYPES OF ETHICAL THEORIES

Deontology

 Non-consequentialism
 Derived from the Greek word “deon” meaning “duty”
 Is a category of normative ethical theories that encompasses any theory which is
primarily concerned with adherence to certain rules or duties.
 Consequences do NOT matter.
 Kantian Ethics (first proposed by great philosopher Immanuel Kant in the 18 th
century).
 Action-based
 Right action is that following duty.

Pros:

 Strongest model for applied public relations

Cons:

 There might be disagreement about the principles involved in the decision.

 The possibility of making a “right choice” with bad consequence.
  The possibility of a conflict in duties.

Examples of Deontology Ethics:

 Do not kill
 Do not steal
 Do not lie
 Respect the elders
 Follow religions beliefs
 Keeping powerless
 Do not cheat

Sample Scenario:

If Nazis ask if you have Jewish refugees in your house:

 In a very strict deontological system (such as Immanuel Kant), the moral act is to
tell the truth, because lying is an intrinsic evil.

Teleology

 Consequentialism
 Teleological comes from the Greek word “Telos” which means “end”.
 Theory looks at the consequences, the results of an action, to decide whether it’s
right or wrong.
 For teleological thinker, the end justifies the means, and thus a thinker from this
school of thought would judge the rightness of an action by the end it produces.
 Consequences matter
 Proposed by Aristotle
 Focuses on consequences of action
 Goodness or badness is only evident in the result achieved.
 The higher the number of good consequences on act produces, the better or more
right the act becomes.

Pros:
  They agree too much of our moral reasoning.
 Teleological theories provide relatively precise and objective method for
moral decision making.

Cons:

 Ordinarily our moral reasoning is teleological, but some are non-teleological.

Sample Scenario:

If the Nazis ask if you have Jewish refugees in your house:

 In teleological approach, it is okay to lie, to save the refugees.

 The morality of lying would depend on the consequence or outcome of the lie.

Utilitarianism

 Consequentialism
 Under the teleological approach
 It was introduced by Jeremy Bentham and developed by John Stuart Mill.
 Goodness or badness is determined by the results or outcomes.
 Can justify the behavior as ethical if it produces greatest good for the greatest
number.

Pros:

 Practical, flexible, results oriented, no conflicting rules, moral form of democracy.

Cons:

 Relies on single criterion when many factors need to be considered.

 Difficulties in identifying who & what should be considered.
 Uncertainties in consequences of actions/speculative.
 Do not consider individual rights.

Sample Scenario:
When faced with a moral dilemma: wherein you need to choose the best option that will
benefit the greatest number, even it means you need to sacrifice the life of another.