_________________________ systems focus on reasoning to an appropriate action.

As people in this world, and good citizens, we are concerned not only with what actions are morally right and morally wrong, but what makes actions morally right or morally wrong.  The key is to understand the reasoning that we employ in ethical decision making so we can become more proficient.

Ethical frameworks are perspectives useful for reasoning what course of action may provide the most moral outcome. In many cases, a person may not use a reasoning process but rather do what they simply feel is best at the time. Others may reflexively use a principle they learned from their family, peers, religious teachings or own experiences. The study of ethics has provided many principles that can aid in ethical decision making. Some of the most common are captured in the following 5 ethical frameworks:

  • Virtue ethics : What is moral is what makes us the best person we could be.
  • Deontology : What is moral is what follows from absolute moral duties.
  • Utilitarianism : What is morally right is what generates the best outcome for the largest number of people.
  • Rights-based Ethics : What is moral is that which is in accord with everyone's rights.
  • Care-based Ethics : What is moral is that which promotes healthy relationships and the well-being of individuals and their interdependence.

The videos below provide a description of these.

Please remember that these and other ethical frameworks are considered differently by people from diverse societies around the world including Asian, African, Native American and others.

Virtue ethics : What is moral is what makes us the best person we could be.

[CrashCourse]. (2016, December 5). Aristotle & Virtue Theory: Crash Course Philosophy #38 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrvtOWEXDIQ

Deontology : What is moral is what follows from absolute moral duties.

[CrashCourse]. (2016, November 14). Kant & Categorical Imperatives: Crash Course Philosophy #35. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bIys6JoEDw

Utilitarianism : What is morally right is what generates the best outcome for the largest number of people.

[CrashCourse]. (2016, November 21). Utilitarianism: Crash Course Philosophy #36. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a739VjqdSI

Rights-based Ethics : What is moral is that which is in accord with everyone's rights.

[CrashCourse]. (2016, November 28). Contractarianism: Crash Course Philosophy #37. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Co6pNvd9mc

Care-based Ethics : What is moral is that which promotes healthy relationships and the well-being of individuals and their interdependence.

[UvA ComScience Microlectures]. (2017, October 15). Alternative Paradigms: Care Ethics and Feminine Ethics. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iaCpAFypq8

What systems of ethics can you use to guide your choices in life? Ethical systems can generally be broken down into three categories: deontological, teleological and virtue-based ethics. The first two are considered deontic or action-based theories of morality because they focus entirely on the actions which a person performs.

When actions are judged morally right based upon their consequences, we have teleological or consequentialist ethical theory. When actions are judged morally right based upon how well they conform to some set of duties, we have a deontological ethical theory, which is common for theist religions.

Whereas these first two systems focus on the question "What should I do?," the third asks an entirely different question: "What sort of person should I be?" With this, we have a virtue-based ethical theory — it doesn't judge actions as right or wrong but rather the character of the person doing the actions. The person, in turn, makes moral decisions based upon which actions would make one a good person.

Deontology and Ethics - Follow the Rules and Your Duties

Deontological moral systems are characterized primarily by a focus on adherence to independent moral rules or duties. In order to make the correct moral choices, you simply have to understand what your moral duties are and what correct rules exist which regulate those duties. When you follow your duty, you are behaving morally. When you fail to follow your duty, you are behaving immorally. A deontological moral system may be seen in many religions, where you follow the rules and duties that are said to have been established by God or the church.

Teleology and Ethics - Consequences of Your Choices

Teleological moral systems are characterized primarily by a focus on the consequences which any action might have (for that reason, they are often referred to as consequentialist moral systems, and both terms are used here). In order to make correct moral choices, you have to have some understanding of what will result from your choices. When you make choices which result in the correct consequences, then you are acting morally; when you make choices which result in the incorrect consequences, then you are acting immorally. The problem comes in determining correct consequences when an action can produce a variety of outcomes. Also, there may be a tendency to adopt an attitude of the ends justifying the means.

Virtue Ethics - Develop Good Character Traits

Virtue-based ethical theories place much less emphasis on which rules people should follow and instead focus on helping people develop good character traits, such as kindness and generosity. These character traits will, in turn, allow a person to make the correct decisions later on in life. Virtue theorists also emphasize the need for people to learn how to break bad habits of character, like greed or anger. These are called vices and stand in the way of becoming a good person.

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Cline, Austin. "3 Types of Ethical Systems." Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/atheism-types-of-ethical-systems-4058406 (accessed December 15, 2022).

What systems focus on reasoning to an appropriate action?

Teleological moral systems are characterized primarily by a focus on the consequences which any action might have (for that reason, they are often referred to as consequentialist moral systems, and both terms are used here).

Which ethical system focuses on the results of an action?

Utilitarianism is a consequentialist moral theory that emphasizes efforts to maximize the overall good. Consequentialism, as an ethical theory, is concerned only with the consequences of an action.

What ethical system is focused on duty?

deontological ethics, in philosophy, ethical theories that place special emphasis on the relationship between duty and the morality of human actions. The term deontology is derived from the Greek deon, “duty,” and logos, “science.”

What are the 3 types of ethics?

Ethics is traditionally subdivided into normative ethics, metaethics, and applied ethics.