Deontology

Deontology is a normative ethical theory that judges actions by duties, rules, or rights rather than solely by their consequences. It treats some actions as required or forbidden independently of their outcomes.

Moral duty: A moral duty is an action or restraint that an agent is obligated to perform. Deontology makes obligation central to deciding what one ought to do.
Categorical imperative: The categorical imperative is Immanuel Kant’s unconditional principle for testing maxims and respecting rational agents. Kant uses it to derive duties without grounding them in desired outcomes.
Immanuel Kant: Immanuel Kant was an eighteenth-century philosopher whose moral theory grounds duty in rational principles. His account is the most influential systematic form of deontological ethics.
Consequentialism: Consequentialism judges actions by the value of their outcomes. It contrasts with deontology by making consequences the ultimate basis of right action.
Trolley problem: The trolley problem is a family of thought experiments about whether one may redirect harm to save more people. Its variants test whether duties forbid using one person as a means to save others.
Moral rule: A moral rule is a general standard that prescribes or prohibits conduct. Rules can bind action even when breaking them would produce better consequences.
Maxim (Kantian ethics): A maxim is the subjective principle on which an agent intends to act. Kantian tests assess whether the maxim behind a choice can be universalized.
W. D. Ross: W. D. Ross was a twentieth-century British philosopher known for his pluralist account of moral duties. His prima facie duties offer an alternative to Kant’s single foundational principle.
Utilitarianism: Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory that evaluates actions by their effects on overall well-being. It can permit sacrificing an individual’s interests when doing so improves the total outcome.
Lying: Lying is intentionally making a false statement to deceive another person. Debates over whether lying is ever permissible test the scope and priority of duties.

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