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Utilitarianism and deontological ethics
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Recommended: Utilitarianism and deontological ethics
When analyzing the use of the Internet and how information is accessed over the web, the ethical aspect of the Internet plays a fundamental role. Ethical theories are all about the consequences of actions and how we should behave; they are the foundations of ethical analysis because they are the viewpoints from which guidance can be obtained along the pathway to a decision. These theories concentrate on various points and predict the outcomes to reach an ethically correct decision. Within the scope of cyber ethics, the best way to have a better understanding about it is to look at two important theoretical approaches in ethics usually referred to as deontology and utilitarianism. Deontology is an ethical theory that is characterized upon the actions, moral, worth and rules, while utilitarianism is the consequence of the action taken in a given situation and looks for the happiness of people as that is the greatest good.
Kant is one of the most recognized people associated with the deontology theory and from his perspective of ethics which judges that the morality of an action is based on the actions adherence to rules and which states that rules bind you to your duty; while Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism which sees the moral worth of an action as dependent on its utility in providing pleasure as
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If a group of people are discussing about their personal experience involving sexual abuse, they may not want to be publicly known because they might feel embarrassed, so they decide to stay anonymous, they share their experiences, which would also help other people in the near future. The utilitarian stand would be that the people`s ability to operate anonymously should be protected because a great number of people are involved and happy with being anonymous, also the information put down will favour a lot of
Deontology diverges from consequentialism because deontology concentrates on the rightness or wrongness of the actions themselves instead of the consequences. There are different types of deontological theories. According to Kant, theoretical reasoning helps us discover what we should believe whereas the practical reasoning tells us what we should do. Morality falls under theoretical reasoning. In Kantian deontology, motives matter. Rather than consequences, it is the motive of an action makes that action morally right or wrong. Likewise, if an action intends to hurt someone, but eventually it benefits the other person, then it does not make that action morally right. All in all, deontology comes down to common-sense: whether it is a good action or a bad
Deontology is when an action is considered morally good because of the action itself not the product of the action ("Deontological Ethics"). When applying Kant’s theory one also has to take into account the two aspects in determining what exactly the right thing in any situation is. They include universality and respect for persons. Universality states that you must “act only on that maxim which you can at the same time will to be a universal law”(Manias). Respect for person’s states that one must “act so that you treat humanity, weather in your own person or that of another; always as an end and never as a means only” (Manias). With this being said one must apply both of these to any option they are
German philosopher Immanuel Kant popularized the philosophy of deontology, which is described as actions that are based on obligation rather than personal gain or happiness (Rich & Butts, 2014). While developing his theory, Kant deemed two qualities that are essential for an action to be deemed an ethical. First, he believed it was never acceptable to sacrifice freedom of others to achieve a desired goal. In other words, he believed in equal respect for all humans. Each human has a right for freedom and justice, and if an action takes away the freedom of another, it is no longer ethical or morally correct. Secondly, he held that good will is most important, and that what is good is not determined by the outcome of the situation but by the action made (Johnson, 2008). In short, he simply meant that the consequences of a situation do not matter, only the intention of an action. Kant also declared that for an act to be considered morally correct, the act must be driven by duty alone. By extension, there could be no other motivation such as lo...
Deontology is an ethical theory concerned with duties and rights. The founder of deontological ethics was a German philosopher named Immanuel Kant. Kant’s deontological perspective implies people are sensitive to moral duties that require or prohibit certain behaviors, irrespective of the consequences (Tanner, Medin, & Iliev, 2008). The main focus of deontology is duty: deontology is derived from the Greek word deon, meaning duty. A duty is morally mandated action, for instance, the duty never to lie and always to keep your word. Based on Kant, even when individuals do not want to act on duty they are ethically obligated to do so (Rich, 2008).
Immanuel Kant’s theory of ethics is rooted in deontology. Describing Kant’s ethics as deontological means that they are derivative of mankind’s moral duty. For Kant, this critical component of ethics is an extension of Hume’s fork as it creates a third category, which is synthetic Apriori. This category is comprised of math, ethics and causality. His rules-based ethics revolves around the good will, as deontology in its nature revolves around adhering to the rules. Kant says that intelligence is great by nature, but means very little unless you apply them in virtuous and good will. In order for something to be truly good, it must be intrinsically good and without qualification.
Deontological ethics are “ethical theories that place special emphasis on the relationship between duty and the morality of human actions” (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2018). This viewpoint focuses more on the action itself rather than the outcome. Per Kant’s Categorical Imperative one should “so act that you treat humanity in your own person and in the person of everyone else always at the same time as an end and never merely as means” (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2018). An example of this is that killing is wrong, even if it is in self-defense. Many of the values and morals of the ELI Responsibilities Lens are based on the deontological
Deontological ethics states that an action is considered morally good because of some characteristics of the action itself, not because the product of the action is good. A German philosopher by the name of Immanuel Kant’s is commonly associated with Deontology. His Law of Autonomy states “A moral agent is an agent who can act autonomously, that is, as a law unto himself or herself, on the basis of objective maxims of his or her reason alone.” Kant believed that all people are morally bound to do good because we are creatures invested with reason. One of his most important principles is the freedom to act morally, which for him is desire to do what is right. The problem with Kant’s ethics, are that not all good actions can be universalized and where has the line been drawn. For example if we have a categorical imperative not to lie, it is wrong to lie even if by lying to a crazy gunman, we can save an innocent person’s life?
Deontology in Immanuel Kant’s point of view is all about duty and not inclination of morality. For example, the First Proposition of Morality is an action that must be done from duty to have moral worth (298). In other words, if one were feeling generous and wanted to give money to the ones who really need it, this technically would not be moral worthy according to Kant. The reason why for this is because that person did not do it out of duty but instead out of free will. For one’s action to have moral worth, it could be an example of one going to work everyday. Everyone has their own specific job to do at work and that is their duty. All in all, Kant views that deontology must come from an action of duty in order for it to be moral worthy and it is not the consequences that determines what is right or wrong.
Kant is the philosopher who changed it because in the beginning that meant god can determine what is right and wrong, but Kant did not believe in god therefore he developed this theory. (James’ notes, 2015). In deontological ethics an action is considered morally good because of some characteristic of the action itself, not because the product of the action is good. Deontological ethics holds that at least some acts are morally obligatory regardless of their consequences for human welfare. (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, the deontological ethics). Kant argued, people should do always the correct thing without taking into account the consequences because the people always know what is right and wrong therefore they make a right choice however Kant remarked that it is not enough to believe that you are doing something correct because you have the intuition so you are following it. Duties and obligations must not be subjective. In deontological ethics, there is not space for subjective feelings for that reason we have to be objectives as much as possible. It seems that this philosophy is ambiguous because many problems around the world such as corruption, fraud, robbery and etc. can be justified with this fact saying that they have the reason for doing a good action hence it is really important to be
In normative ethics, a multitude of theories constitute the understanding of morality in human action. This diverse spectrum of theories includes consequentialism, more specifically, utilitarianism, which is a consequence-based theory that was first developed by Jeremy Bentham and later broadened by John Stuart Mill, to Kantianism, or deontology, a duty-based theory developed by Immanuel Kant. The two ethical theories express a very obvious polarity in their moral discourses, but they also draw familiar parallels as they are both founded on scientific human investigation. This investigation shares some interactive ideas: to apply certain principles universally, to prioritize individual freedom
What I have found to be most interesting about both Deontology and Utilitarianism isn’t their approach to ethics, but rather their end goal. Deontology promotes “good will” as the ultimate good; it claims that each and every person has duties to respect others. On the other hand, Utilitarianism seeks to maximize general happiness. While these may sound rather similar at first glance (both ethical theories essentially center around treating people better), a deeper look reveals different motivations entirely. Deontology focuses on respecting the autonomy and humanity of others, basically preaching equal opportunity. Utilitarianism does not specify any means by which to obtain happiness—happiness is its only mandate. While happiness sounds like a great end goal, it is a rather impractical one and the lack of consideration of motivations and means of utility-increasing actions has some serious negative consequences. I prefer Deontology over Utilitarianism for its focus on individual’s rights, opportunity, and personal autonomy.
In contrast to utilitarianism, deontology uses an action and the intent behind the action to determine the morality of the action rather than the outcomes of the actions. Deontology argues that reason forms the basis of right and wrong. Therefore, using reason, Kant asserts that there are two types of obligations. These two types of obligations are hypothetical imperatives and categorical imperatives. Hypothetical imperatives essentially give instructions based on a person’s individual preference and vary for each situation, Categorical imperatives, unlike hypothetical imperatives, give commands/instructions that are to be applied regardless of personal preferences. One major categorical imperative states that an action is permissible if both
One such way to analyze the ethical actions taken by G.C.E., Steel Havens Company, and the Hyatt Regency is to apply the deontological framework or duty ethics to the situation. Deontology is a branch of normative ethics in which the morality of individuals is judged based on the actions that he/she takes in the presence of a specific set of universal maxims or rules. One such branch of deontology known as "Kantianism" or "Kantian Ethics" formulated by Philosopher Immanuel Kant can be used to analyze the ethical behavior of the parties involved in the Hyatt Regency collapse. Kantian ethics is centered on the concept that the actions of an individual are considered right or wrong based on a duty that he/she must perform, and not on the consequences or end product of the actions taken.
Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher thought to be the greatest thinker of the eighteenth century. He based moral philosophy on the principle of reason, developing the highly influential concept of the categorical imperative which will be discussed later on. He focused on discovering moral maxims, asking “can this law apply to all rational creatures?”. Immanuel Kant was a deontologist, which means he viewed that moral value is determined by fulfilling one’s duty. Deontologists are all about moral duties people should follow for all situations.
In the early years of computers and computerized technology, computer engineers had to believe that their contribution to the development of computer technology would produce positive impacts on the people that would use it. During the infancy of computer technology, ethical issues concerning computer technology were almost nonexistent because computers back then were not as multifaceted as they are today. However, ethical issues relating to computer technology and cyber technology is undeniable in today’s society. Computer technology plays a crucial role in all aspects of our daily lives. Different forms of computer technology provide unique functionalities that allow people to perform daily activities effectively and efficiently. In modern society, we use computer and cyber technology to communicate with friends and family via social networking sites, participate in business transactions, and get current news. Different tasks require unique technological feature in computer technology to function properly. Although, unique technological features increase people’s proficiency in accomplishing various tasks, unique technological features in computer and cyber technology increase security vulnerabilities. In many cases, the security vulnerabilities in computer technology are exploited by cybercriminals to invade people’s privacy, and steal people’s identity. We know that computers have no moral compass; they cannot make moral decisions for themselves. Essentially, people make moral decisions that affect others positively or negatively depending on how they use computer technology. Some of the biggest ethical issues facing people in the computing environment include privacy concerns on the web and identity theft. Privacy concerns...