Deontological Theory

Mohd Azri Ibrahim

Deontological Theory
• Derived from the Greek word’
Duty’.
• A person who holds this view
believes that to act morally we
must have self consciousness in
receiving specific constraints or
rules which place our limits
between self interest and general
good.( N. Davis P. Singer 1991)
 Deontological Theory

• Believe that wrong action cannot be accepted

morally although it bring morally good effect and
obligatory.
• They also known as consequentialist.
• Rule of deontological theory declares that all
considerations of moral result are specific.
• Man’s action whether right or wrong consist of
one or more rules. Such rules are basic and not
stem from certain situation.
• Judgment of an individual actions depend on
the standard not on pleasure or suffering.
• Action that consistent with the rule is
regarded as moral.
• It examines how responsible we are in treating
other people and duties towards them.
• Also known as act-oriented approach.
• Right or wrong depend on person not the
consequences.
• Moral judgment is determined by referring to
general matters, a rule or principles
 Principle Of Duty
• This principle emphasis that duty for the sake
of duty.(1724-1804).
• He has been regarded by some philosopher as
the most important thinker.
• Moral obligation does not spring from God or
from community or human authority, but from
reasoning.
• According to Onora O’neill: Kant writing is
difficult to interpret.
• Kant opposed many metaphysical claim and
disagree with the proofs of existence of God.
• Our thinking ought to be from human
standpoint anything beyond the transcendent
reality is rejected.
• Kant himself insist that claim to knowledge
limits to the natural world and we should not
expect that things we know about natural
world will actually exist.
• Kants claim that human being will only be
meaningful if they have free will.
• He claimed that free will and natural causality
act at the same time in man’s action.
• Natural causality is the domain of knowledge
while human freedom in the domain of
morality.
• Identify the universal maxim like ‘what ought
to do’ as the basic rule which we should us as
a references.
• To judge an action we should observe that the
action is inconformity with the universal
maxim. We need not to evaluate or anticipate
the result before it.
• Fairness and intelligence should exist in
performing the action
• The formula for kants moral action is as
follows:
• Freedom + Fairness+ Choice= moral action
(justice) (refer to maxim)
 The Concept Of Goodwill
• Kants ethical principle is according to rational
procedures.
• Goodwill is unconditionally good in
performing actions.
• Goodwill is not based on good objectives.
• Actions that come from desire and interest
will not be good.
• Other than goodwill are considered as
conditionally good.
• Good things :
mental qualities= intelligence/ smart thinking
natural gift= bravery/ moderate thinking
Is conditionally good. If it been used for bad
action will be bad, i.e. killing/ cheating
Goodwill will bring purity that makes a good
action.
Motive for goodwill is the desired to do
something to fulfill the duty.
 The Principle Of Categorical
Imperative
• Moral rule must be followed by everyone
without exception.
• A principle must be able to serve various kind
of agent.
• Morality begins with rejection of principles
that is not universal.
• This is known as categorical imperative or
moral law.
• Categorical imperative means command that
has no exceptions or conditions. Truth must be
free from any internal contraction.
• We need to act correctly so that the maxim of
our action parallel with universal law.
• 3 important elements of categorical
imperatives:
a. the moral principle must be generally
accepted.
b. action must be respected by people and
make us of people.
 c. the party responsible must be able to be
treated the same way if when they in
oppressed position.
• Human must be treated as the end and not
the means to an end.
• Use the concept of Rousseau on ‘kingdoms of
end’ which regards everyone as a legislator
and bound by law and each has autonomy on
condition that what is legislated is in respect
for others.
 Criticism on Kant’s Ethics
• a. The charge on the categorical imperative is
empty, trivial or merely formal and identifies
merely no duty:(Hegel and J.S.Mill).i.e. are
principle like ‘steal when you can’ or ‘kill
when it is not risky’ universal?
• b. Rigorism z;the rules that introduce are
insensitive and rigid. No account for relativism
and difference of cases.
• c. Abstraction.vague and full of absurdity to
guide actionz;
• Kants maintain that principles have to be
abstract because they are side constraints and
can only guide.
• d. Conflicting ground of obligation.: No
routine procedure when dealing with conflicts
and theory is only side constraint.
• e. Place of inclination: kant requires us to act
out of sense of duty not our own inclination
and we can only know that we act out of duty
when inclination is lacking.
• f. No account for wrong-doing: kants only
allow free action which is fully autonomous
and reflect only natural desires and
inclination. wrongful action are actually
autonomous they are chosen rather than
inflicted mechanically by our desires or
inclinations.
 Principle of Existentialism
• This principle maintains that good or bad
values stem from free choice of the individual
i.e. donating to a mosque is a good values if
done by one choice and bad value if that act
is force.
• This principle was introduce by Jean-Paul
Sartre (1905-1980)
• He believe that ‘existence precedes essence’
• Ashmore said: ‘essence’ means “what we have
become”.
• Sartre idea strongly criticize by communist and
christian groups.
• He maintained that existentialism is an
exactive and strict doctrine for experets and
philosophers only.
• There are 2 stream of existentialism:
– a. Christian group- Karl Jasper, Gabriel
Marcell
– b. Atheist-Martin Heidegyer and Sartre.
• But both share the same belief that existence
precedes essence or subjectivity must be
starting point.
• Sartre argued that manufactured object i.e.
paper cutter came from a concept and
realized in material.
• Since Sartre does not believe in God he claims
that man does not has creator and was not
form according to certain specification.
• What manwill become it depend on what
choice he makes.
• He argues if we accept God as creator than he
assumed man’s creation just like manufactures
object.
• When dismissing the existence of God Sartre
then maintained that everything is
permissible. No punishment, no religious
value and no objective value.
• Values followed by man are subjective,
Individualistic and subject to certain situation
• Person cannot succeed without effort because
man is nothing but what he makes of himself.
• Existentialism makes man first to realize what
he is and responsible of his existence rest on
him
• Subjectivism according Sartre has 2 meanings:
a. Individual chooses and makes himself
b. Not possible for man to transcend human
subjectivity.
• Men sets their own destined and only choose
the best for them besides avoiding the bad.
• Man is nothing less than their own plan.
• Sartre feels that moral value are subjective,
changing and not permanent or universal.
• Man consciousness allows him to choose an
action freely but the choice will not be
permanent.