Strengths Of Deontological Ethics

Deontological ethics is a normative theory based on performing your duty and obligations; focusing on what the right action is regardless of the consequences. We are only worthy of happiness when we do our moral duty, which applies to everyone, everywhere, and always. Stoicism, a form of deontological theory is the belief that although you do not control the outside world you can control how you react to it.

Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher who promoted deontological theory; also known as non-consequentialism. He prized autonomy and freedom, believing life was about more than happiness, it was about doing one’s duty. Kant believed that an act done with the right intention is good, if an act has a right outcome, but done for the wrong reason it does not count as one doing a good act. There are three central concepts to his theory: a person must have the ability to make reason based decisions, a person must be able to choose a morally right action because it is right and a person must perform a duty just for the sake of doing their duty. Kant believed there are two categories of actions, hypothetical imperatives and

An example is a surgeon acting morally makes a mistake and kills someone, the surgeon is not held accountable because his action was right. We cannot be accountable for things outside of our control. Deontological theory values the individual and their freedom; you do not have to do anything that you cannot do; only what you are able to do. Kant had two tests that every action must pass to be a duty. The first categorical imperative is that a society must be willing and able to do the duty, and the second categorical imperative is that all people must be treated with respect and as a means to themselves and not just used as an end. Human beings are not instruments in someone else’s gain; they should be valued for just