Two Deontological Systems of Ethics and Common Critiques

Deontology is the branch of normative ethics that stresses rules; it focuses on the rightness of actions rather than the consequences of actions.

Within deontological thought there are many interpretations. The most famous philosopher of Deontology is Immanuel Kant.

According to Kant, there were two types of duties: contingent and categorical. Contingent duties were only absolute under certain circumstances while categorical duties were always absolute. Kant believed that the duty to promote human freedom and reasoning as the only categorical duty and as such named it the categorical imperative. As a result, he argued that the only moral correct action is to promote human liberties and reasoning and that it was morally wrong to follow duties that did not result in furthered liberties and reasoning.

The major criticism of Kant's system is whether one should tell a murderer the location of his soon-to-be victim. Kant responded in the essay On a Supposed Right to Tell Lies from Benevolent Motives where he stated that to lie would remove the murderer's freedom to act rationally.

Another deontological system of ethics is Divine Command Theory. Simply explained, it states that what is commanded by God or the gods is morally right.

An often criticism of this ethical system asks, "Is an action morally good because God commands it, or does God command it because it is morally good?".


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