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Teleological and Deontological Ethical Theories

Dr . SUMAYIA SAYEJ

Prepared by

AHMAD JUMAAHMAD SHTAYA

At the end of this presentation , the students will At the end of this presentation , the students will be able tobe able to

1. Define the teleological and deontological 1. Define the teleological and deontological ethical theories.ethical theories.

2. differentiate between teleological and 2. differentiate between teleological and deontological ethical theoriesdeontological ethical theories

3. identify the 3. identify the Problems with the Teleological / Deontological Classification

objectivesobjectives

IntroductionIntroductionEthics of Doing (Ethics of Conduct)Ethics of Doing (Ethics of Conduct)

What makes an act What makes an act rightright or or goodgood?? There are two general answers to this question There are two general answers to this question

that create the two main divisions in the that create the two main divisions in the Ethics Ethics of Doingof Doing (= (= Action-based EthicsAction-based Ethics = = Ethics of Ethics of ConductConduct):): 1. 1. Teleological EthicsTeleological Ethics == Consequentialist EthicsConsequentialist Ethics. .

The morality of an act is based on the The morality of an act is based on the outcomeoutcome or or consequenceconsequence of the act. of the act.

2. 2. Deontological EthicsDeontological Ethics == Nonconsequentialist Nonconsequentialist EthicsEthics. The morality of an act is based in the . The morality of an act is based in the act act itselfitself..

Types of teleological ethicsTypes of teleological ethics

1. Utilitarianism ( most well known of 1. Utilitarianism ( most well known of utilitarian moral theory is classical utilitarian moral theory is classical utilitarianism utilitarianism

2. varieties of ancient Greek virtue 2. varieties of ancient Greek virtue ethics( ethics( Aristotle’s ethics is the most Aristotle’s ethics is the most influential exampleinfluential example) )

AristotleAristotle

According to According to AristotleAristotle, , the goal of ethics is to the goal of ethics is to explain how one explain how one achieves the good life achieves the good life for human beings. for human beings. Aristotle considers the Aristotle considers the good for man to be good for man to be eudaimoniaeudaimonia, which is , which is most often translated as most often translated as happiness. happiness.

Teleological EthicsTeleological Ethics

The teleological (= consequentialist) ethical The teleological (= consequentialist) ethical system call system call UtilitarianismUtilitarianism.. The moral or ethical act in a particular situation is The moral or ethical act in a particular situation is

the act that the act that increases what is good for the increases what is good for the greatest greatest number of peoplenumber of people..

The “what is The “what is goodgood for the greatest number of people” is for the greatest number of people” is taken to be the taken to be the happiness, pleasurehappiness, pleasure of the greatest of the greatest number of people.number of people.

TeleologicalTeleological

……Thus health is the end Thus health is the end of medicineof medicine

TeleologicalTeleological

“…“…a vessel [is the a vessel [is the purpose] of purpose] of shipbuilding…”shipbuilding…”

TeleologicalTeleological

“…“…victory [is the goal] victory [is the goal] of strategy,…”of strategy,…”

What Are We Weighing When We What Are We Weighing When We Consider Teleological Arguments?Consider Teleological Arguments?

On a standard taxonomy, moral theories divide up according to how

they specify the relation between the "right" and the "good."

In other words, moral theories may be classified according to how their theory of value and their theory of right relate to one another. There are, it is said, two possible

ways in which the theory of value may connect up with the theory of right action. This is either a teleological connection or a

not a teleological connection.

Deontology: an ethical theory

holding that acting from a sense of

duty rather than concern for

consequences

IntroductionIntroductionDeontological Ethical SystemsDeontological Ethical Systems

Three Three deontologicaldeontological systems of ethics (= acts systems of ethics (= acts themselves are themselves are intrinsicallyintrinsically good or bad): good or bad): The The Divine Command Theory.Divine Command Theory. A good act is whatever A good act is whatever

God wills, and a bad act whatever God prohibits.God wills, and a bad act whatever God prohibits. Natural Law Ethics.Natural Law Ethics. Our reason can discern which acts Our reason can discern which acts

are good or bad because God has imprinted this are good or bad because God has imprinted this information in our natures and in the world about us.information in our natures and in the world about us.

The The ethics of Immanuel Kant.ethics of Immanuel Kant. There is a “moral law” that There is a “moral law” that is part of the fabric of reality in the same way as are the is part of the fabric of reality in the same way as are the laws of logic and mathematics, a law that is encapsulated in laws of logic and mathematics, a law that is encapsulated in the “Categorical Imperative” (= “The Golden Rule”).the “Categorical Imperative” (= “The Golden Rule”).

DeontologicalDeontological

A deontological theory (e.g. Kant’s) maintains that the wrongness of (some) actions is intrinsic, or resides in the kind of action that it is, rather than the consequences it brings about.

For example, an act of killing an innocent man is wrong because it is the killing of an innocent man, rather than because it deprives someone of future happiness and causes grief to a family. So deontological theories do not define the notion of right action in terms of the promotion of good consequences. The rightness of an action is not determined by the goal it achieves, and this makes it non teleological as a moral theory.

Problems with the Teleological / Problems with the Teleological / Deontological ClassificationDeontological Classification