Deontology
Tradition · 18th century, Germany · Philosophy, stage 2: Map the schools
Deontology judges actions by whether they conform to a duty or rule, regardless of the consequences that follow. Immanuel Kant gave the tradition its most systematic form with the categorical imperative, a test for moral rules that asks whether you could will them to apply universally and whether they treat people as ends in themselves rather than mere means. For Kant, an action's moral worth comes from the intention and the rule behind it, not from how things turn out, which sets deontology directly against utilitarianism's focus on outcomes. This makes deontology attractive to anyone who thinks some actions, like lying or using a person purely as a tool, are wrong even when they produce good results.
What it claims
- Some actions are right or wrong in themselves, independent of their consequences.
- Moral worth comes from acting out of duty according to a rule, not from the results the action produces.
- A moral rule must be one you could will everyone to follow without contradiction.
- People must always be treated as ends in themselves, never merely as a means to something else.
Key ideas
People
Sources
- Immanuel Kant Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- Kant Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
