Final grading period

 Deontological ethics or deontology is the

normative ethical theory that the morality of an
action should be based on whether that action
itself is right or wrong under a series of rules,
rather than based on the consequences of the
action.
 Hence, deontological ethics is based-duty. As a
matter of fact deontology comes from the
Greek word deon, means duty and logos
means science.
 Morality is a matter of Duty.
 Actions are right or wrong in themselves, regardless
of their consequences.
 We each have duties regarding our own actions
 Immanuel Kant was a
German philosopher
(1724-1804)in the Modern
Western Philosophy.
 Father of Deontology
 telling the truth is always
“right” and telling a lie is
always “wrong”.
 Follow universal law such
as “don’t lie”, “don’t
steal”, ”don’t cheat”.
 PRINCIPLE OF
UNIVERSALITY
“Act only on that maxim through
which you can at the same time, will
it should become universal law”.
 Man should only perform
only those actions that
have universal
repercussions.
 Therefore, one should not
perform acts that cannot
be universalized.
PRINCIPLE OF HUMANITY
“Act in such a way whether in your own person or in
the person of any other , never simply a means but
always at the same time as an end.”
 Man is not a means to an end: he is an
end in himself.
 This principle of humanity however, is
for Kant not derived from experience.
 It calls for man’s unconditional respect to
his fellowmen.
“the end doesn’t justify the means”
 HYPOTHETICAL CATEGORICAL
 If I want X, then I ought to do “Y”.  “I ought to do “Y”.

Example: If I want to pass my examination, Example: I ought not to murder people.

I ought to attend the lecture.  Absolute moral truths –true for all the
 Consequences driven. Desires based. people for all times.
 Duty driven.
 FIRST SECOND THIRD
A moral choice Our reason gives us The principle must
must be a rational universal and be in the form of a
decision since necessary principles command or
morality involves of mathematics, imperative since
what is necessary principles of logic, morality involves
for us to do, and and, in this case, a commands Four
only rational principle of main types of moral
considerations are morality duties
necessary.
1."Whenever I believe myself short of money, I will borrow money
and promise to pay it back, though I know that this will never be
done”.
 If such deceit were followed universally, then the whole
institution of promising would be undermined and I could not
make my promise to begin with.
2. “It is wrong for me to kill myself when misfortunes Push me to
the point of despair”.
 The maxim of this action is "From self-love I make it my
principle to shorten my life if its continuance threatens more evil
than it promises pleasure."
3.” I must develop my talents rather than let them waste away. “
 Kant concedes that this maxim by itself is not contradictory since
in theory everyone could become an idle slug.
4.” It is wrong to be uncharitable.”
 A contradiction arises when I willfully assert this maxim while at
the same time acknowledging my inherent rational obligation to
receive charity when I am in Good will.
 In Kant’s terms, A good will is one whose decisions are entirely
influenced by moral imperatives, or, as he frequently refers to it,
the Moral Law. Human beings will inevitably perceive this Law
as a restraint on their inherent impulses, which is why such laws
are imperatives and responsibilities when applied to humans.