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Major Ethical Theories: Utilitarianism Kantian Ethics Rights
Major Ethical Theories: Utilitarianism Kantian Ethics Rights
Utilitarianism
Kantian ethics
Rights
A Major Misunderstanding
A & S, p. 9
Human life and behavior is exceedingly
complex
To be workable as a theory or model,
must be simpler than real life
Therefore, any one theory will have gaps
and blind spots but may be good partial
description of the moral life
A Helpful Metaphor?
Sam is unmarried
All bachelors are
unmarried
Categorical Imperative
Utilitarianism is a consequentialist
ethical theory
Kantianism is a deontological (duty-
based) ethical theory
For Kant, source of duty is the concept of
autonomy and rational will (pure reason
as source of ethical duty)
Rights Theory
Distinguish:
Positive right: a right to have or obtain
something (other people have to do
something)
Negative right: a right to be free of
something (other people have to not do
something)
Libertarianism