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deontological ethics
(redirected from deontologist)

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Legal, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.

deontological ethics

Ethical theories that maintain that the moral rightness or wrongness of an action depends on its intrinsic qualities, and not (as in consequentialism) on the nature of its consequences. Deontological ethics holds that at least some acts are morally wrong in themselves (e.g., lying, breaking a promise, punishing the innocent, murder). It often finds expression in slogans such as “Duty for duty's sake.” Deontological theories are often formulated in such a way that the rightness of an action consists in its conformity to a moral rule or command, such as “Do not bear false witness.” The most important exponent of deontological ethics is Immanuel Kant. See also categorical imperative.



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Deontologists believe the rightness of an act is derived from its logical consistency and universability.
Deontologists believe that determining whether an act is right or wrong depends on the nature of the act itself in terms of its moral worth.
Rather than examining the consequences of such actions, the deontologist believes that every individual has specific duties that he or she is morally required to fulfill.
 
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