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Deontology. The Ethics of Duty. Deontology Claims:. Moral law is not defined in terms of consequences or whether it promotes some goal as it is in ethical egoism or utilitarianism. Moral duties are transcultural and universally binding
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Deontology The Ethics of Duty
Deontology Claims: • Moral law is not defined in terms of consequences or whether it promotes some goal as it is in ethical egoism or utilitarianism. • Moral duties are transcultural and universally binding • When a moral law conflicts with a cultural norm, the moral law takes precedence • They agree that duty is the basis of morality but they disagree on the source of the morality. • Kant says it comes from reason • Sir W. David Ross says they are self-evident: Intuition • Often presented as being opposed to utilitarianism • a sense of duty toward the maximum happiness
Confucius and Duty • Deontology and Virtue • Believed that the way to put the world back on track was to instill a sense of respect for duty • Duties were established by the ancient sages • yi- righteousness: moral duty to do what is right • yi is established through the uniting of our minds with the universe • The Tao- the way: “the principle that nourishes and develops all things” • Western deontologists focus on the individual while Confucian deontology focuses on communitarian duties • The family and the community are more important than the self • Three virtues that help carry out our duties: Wisdom, Compassion, and Courage
Kant • Product of the Enlightenment- he coined the phrase • Believed that most people already knew right from wrong • Problem is not knowing what is right but doing what is right • Only reason can provide a sound foundation for universal morality • Morality is a priori- we know it to be true without any reference to actual experience • Reason demands that moral duties are universal and absolutely binding • Hypothetical imperative- what we ought to do in order to achieve a defined goal
Three Propositions of Morality • To be moral the act must be done from a sense duty. • Moral value comes from the maxim by which action is determined and not in the purpose; Depends on my personal motivation • Duty is the necessity of an action with respectto the law
Categorical Imperative • Categorical Imperative- we ought to do something regardless of consequences • Act only on that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law • Act as to treat humanity whether in thine own person or in that of any other in every case as an end in itself, never as a means only