Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Ethics - Essay Example This paper evaluates the two approaches to defining â€Å"ethically bad life†: deontology and teleology. The paper examines each of the two approaches in detail and identifies which of the two can best be used to identify an â€Å"ethically bad life†. The tests the thesis that teleology and the end in question is always the most important thing but it must be done on the backdrop of absolute rules. Deontology The principle of deontology asserts that what is bad and what is good is definite and made up of universal laws which define what is right and what is wrong. The foremost philosopher who propounded the theory of deontology in modern ethics is Immanuel Kant. Kant argued that deontology is â€Å"a moral theory centered around the idea of unconditional duty-based commitment† (Cherkasova, 2012: 2). In other words, what is bad and what is good are absolute. This means that they are definite and they are stated clearly. Thus, an individual taking a decision must r eason and identify what is good and do it. Failure to do what is defined universally as good means an individual has done what is bad. The word deontology is derived from the Greek word â€Å"deon† which means â€Å"duty† (Morrison, 2009). ... Hence, an individual acting in a way and manner that affects a given set of rules has the obligation to identify what is required of him and do it according to the standard of the moral rules and codes. â€Å"Duty is the basic element of all moral actions†, the deontological school of thought assets (Johnstone, 2009: 3). The classical deontology school of thought bases its standard of deriving laws from divine authorities and other spiritual laws (Johnstone, 2009). Thus, what is bad is based on what authoritative religious sources state. Over the years, the deontological school of through grew to embrace nationalistic ethics and systems and today, national laws, moral ethics and international standards form the basis of the definition of â€Å"moral duties† in deontology. Corrigan and Farrell therefore identifies three main features of deontology as a tool for defining what as an ethically bad life (2012). They are: 1. Objectivity: This means that morality is based on u niversal and clear-cut rules and principles and an individual must choose the moral rule that applies in the situation. In this case, the sentiments and/or personal feelings of the individual do not matter. 2. Standardization: Morality sets a standard of what is right and what is wrong. And it applies equally to all people irrespective of their circumstances or situations and hence, what is bad is based on the ability to meet the standard required. Failure to reach the standard makes an act bad. 3. Reasoning: An individual must evaluate all his actions and reason to find what is good and what is bad and do what is good. This is done through critical evaluation of the action and activity (Carr, 2009). Teleology Teleology is an opposite to deontology