Three Approaches

There are three main approaches to ethics:

• Consequence-based approaches
• Rule-based approaches
• Character-based approaches

The first two approaches address the question of how we

ought to act, the third approach responds to the question
of what kind of person we should be.

02/05/12 © Lawrence M. Hinman

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 The Basic Question of Ethics

Historically, philosophers have disagreed about what

the basic question of ethics is. They fall into two
camps:
...on the basis of
consequences.
How ought I to act?
...by following rules
and thus doing our
Fundamental
Question duty.

What kind of person ...develop character and

ought I to try to be? virtues.

02/05/12 © Lawrence M. Hinman

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 Act-oriented Approaches

There are two basic ways of answer the question, “How should I act?”

Consequentialism/Teleology:
•Look at the consequences and choose the
Act-oriented action that has the best consequences
approaches (Ends Justify Means)

Deontology/Kantian Ethics:
Look at the rules and follow the rules
(ten commandments, duty, human rights,
justice)
(If u want to achieve ‘X’, you should do
‘Y’)
02/05/12 © Lawrence M. Hinman
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 Consequences for whom?

For whom?
Just for me
Name of Position
Egoism
My group Group Conse
Just for me Egoism

Just for my group Group consequentialism

•Family
•Country
•Religion
For everyone Utilitarianism
•All human beings
•All sentient beings
02/05/12 © Lawrence M. Hinman
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What yardstick do we use for measuring
consequences?

What yardstick or standard of utility do we use when

we measure consequences?

Pleasure/pain
• (Bentham)
Happiness
• (John Stuart Mill)
Ideals
• (G. E. Moore)
Preference satisfaction
• (Kenneth Arrow)

02/05/12 © Lawrence M. Hinman

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Rule-oriented Approaches

Numerous approaches have one thing in

common: rules trump consequences.
No matter how much good might be
accomplished, you cannot break the rules
• Ticking bomb example
Examples of rule-oriented approaches:
• The Golden Rule
• Human Rights
• Justice
• Kant & Deontology
• Ten Commandments

02/05/12 © Lawrence M. Hinman

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Character-oriented Approaches

Fundamental Question: What kind of

person do I want to be?
Emphasizes strengths of character
necessary to human flourishing
• Example: courage

Emphasizes flexibility of rules for

new situations

02/05/12 © Lawrence M. Hinman

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