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How Actions Can Be Morally Evaluated

Learn how actions can be morally evaluated through the lens of teleological ethics, which focuses on consequences, and deontological ethics, which emphasizes intention and duty. Explore theories like Natural Law, Kant’s Formalism, and the Categorical Imperative. Dive into conflicting duties and duties to animals.

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How Actions Can Be Morally Evaluated

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  1. How Actions Can Be Morally Evaluated Teleological Ethics • Teleological Ethics: morality is defined in terms of the consequences of actions • Deontological Ethics: morality is defined in terms of intention (e.g., doing one’s duty) Motive/Intention (Character) ACT Consequences Deontological Ethics

  2. Natural Law Theory • Our consciences (informed by reason and experience) reveal our obligations: to God (e.g., obedience), ourselves (e.g., development), and others (e.g., respect) • Objection: consciences conflict; doing one’s duty is not always natural or obvious • Reply: our intention should be to do our duty (which should be properly informed) Samuel Pufendorf

  3. Kant’s Ethics (Formalism) • Morality is not based on character or consequences, for virtues or happiness are morally good only if informed by a good will– the intent to act for the sake of doing your duty • Morality is about obligation (for everyone): the form of moral obligation is its universality, its categorical (vs. hypothetical) character • Humans can act for the sake of doing their duty, so treat them as ends-in-themselves

  4. Kant: The Categorical Imperative • Always act only on maxims (rules) that you could will everyone universally to adopt • Tests for universalizing a maxim: consistency (universalizability without contradiction) and acceptability (can be accepted if universalized) • W. D. Ross: duties sometimes conflict; this shows how they are valid only prima facie • T. Regan: duties to animals are not indirect

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