Presentation of Ethics Pramod Sir

Presentation on consequentialism,
Deontology, and Machiavelli’s

principle of ethics
1
2 Consequentialism
 Is a class of normative ethical theories

 The ethical approach “depends on the
consequences”.
 Consequentialism is based on two principles:
• Whether an act is right or wrong depends only on
the results of that act
• The more good consequences an act produces, the
better or more right that act
3 Forms of consequentialism
A. Utilitarianism
I. Act Utilitarianism
II. Rule Utilitarianism
B. Ethical egoism
4 Utilitarianism
 That actions are right if they are useful or for the
benefit of a majority.
 Characterized by two elements: Happiness and
Consequences
 According to Jeremy Bentham,” the greatest good
is the greatest pleasure of the greatest number.”
 According to J.S Mill, the act that promotes
happiness is moral and the act that causes pain is
immoral.
5 Rule utilitarianism
 According to rule utilitarians, a) a specific
action is morally justified if it conforms to a
justified moral rule; and b) a moral rule is
justified if its inclusion into our moral code
would create more utility than other possible
rules (or no rule at all).
6 Act utilitarianism
 Whenever we are deciding what to do, we

should perform the action that will create the
greatest net utility.
7 Ethical Egoism
 Egoism is a theory of ethics that sets as its
goal the benefit, pleasure, or greatest good
of the oneself alone.
8 Criticism of consequentialism
 Elizabeth Anscombe (1919 - 2001) has objected
to Consequentialism on the grounds that it does
not provide guidance in what one ought to do,
since the rightness or wrongness of an action is
determined based solely on the consequences it
produces.
9 Quotation
 Every advantage in the past is judged in

the light of the final issue. —
Demosthenes
10 ETHICAL THEORIES
11 ETHICAL THEORIES
 Ethical theories are the theories which is concerned with

the philosophical study of moral value of a human conduct
and of the rules and principles that ought to govern it.
 It attempts to provide general norms for the guidance and
evaluation of moral conduct
12 ETHICAL THEORIES
13 Deontology
 Etymologically, deontology is derived from the Greek

words deon, “duty,” and logos, “science.”
 In deontological ethics an action is considered morally

good because of some characteristic of the action itself, not
because the product of the action is good. (Do your best,
not to be based on RESULT.)
14
 It falls under the moral theories that guide and

assess our choices of what we ought to do in
contrast to those that guide and assess what kind of
person we are and should be.
 Its central principle lies in the conformity of an
action to some rule or law.
 The first great philosopher to define deontological

principles was Immanuel Kant, the 18th-century
German founder of critical philosophy
15
 The theory of deontology states that we are morally obligated to

act in accordance with a certain set of principles and rules
regardless of outcome
 For example:
Actions Consequences
• No cheating in • good/poor
exam marks
 Actions in deontology are always judged independently of their

outcome
16
 Deontological theories hold that some acts are

always wrong, even if the act leads to an admirable
outcome, for example robbery, lying, murdering
etc.
17 Kant’s categorical imperative
18 Categorical imperative
 It is an absolute moral obligation to do or not to
do something that applies to all rational beings
with no considerations.
 For example :
 If you want to lose weight, you shouldn’t eat
chocolate…(hypothetical imperative)
 The moral rules, Never tell a lie,
 you shouldn’t murder {if you want to avoid
punishment}; unconditioned
19
 According to Kant, the moral worth of an action is

determined by the human will (good will), which is
the only thing in the world that can be considered
good without qualification.
 The Good will is exercised by acting according to
moral duty/law.
20
21
There are three formulations of Kant’s
categorical imperative
The First Formulation of the Imperative
 Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the
same time will that it should become a universal law without
contradiction.
 Kant states that a true moral proposition must not be tied to

any particular conditions, including the identity of the person
making the decision.
 Example: Robbery is a heinous act. It is taken bad by US

people, English People, and Nepali people.
22 The Second Formulation of the Imperative
 “Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in

your own person or in the person of any other, never
merely as a means to an end but always at the same time
as an end.”
The Third Formulation of the Imperative
 “Every rational being must so act as if he were through
his maxim always a legislating member in the universal
kingdom of ends.”
 Every person must act as a leader of his or her rules and
must govern the world covered with consequentialism.
23 Overview of the theory
Universal principles and rules
• Rules and laws bind duty
Actions
• Right action = moral (Deontology)
Consequences
• Good Result = moral (Consequentialism)

24 Business applications
 This theory is rule-based and absolute, giving us some rules

to follow in moral decision making and being independent
of circumstances…(being honest and loyal)
 Emphasis on humanistic dimension into business decisions
introducing the value and dignity of every human beings
 Stresses on importance of motivation and of acting on
principles
Criticism
25
 Kant underestimates the importance of taking consequences

into account when considering an action
 The new business era verdicts, “Think of end and start your
journey.”
 There are some conflict of rules. What happens when we
face a scenario that forces us to choose between two or more
obligatory moral rules?
 Some times lies are essential for the preservation of humanity.
 Absolutism in some circumstances can be very troubling and
arguably irrational: Shouldn’t a rule be broken if following
it would lead to harmful consequences? Even rule changes
with time.
26 Differences
Consequentialism Deontology
The end justifies the means The end doesn’t justify the
means
The morally right action is the The morally right action is the
action that produces the most action governed by duty and
good rules as consequences are beyond
our control
Evaluates the moral rightness of Evaluates the moral rightness of
a decision based on its outcome an action no matter what the
consequence is
It favors good over right It advocates right over good
27 Machiavelli’s principle of ethics
Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)
an Italian political and military theorist,
civil servant, historian, playwright, and
poet.
• radical ethical thinker

• is the first major thinker to judge actions
solely in terms of their consequences
• Talks about confucion ethics
28
 An action is good not because God commands it, nor

because it comes from virtue, but because its
consequences are the attainment and keeping of power.
 wrote “The Prince” as a leadership instruction manual
for the ruling Princes of the Italian city states at the time.
 Machiavelli had made power the ultimate concern, and
set ethics against the background of unchanging human
depravity.
29 Machiavelli’s principles in
business
1. Don’t be overly generous.
2. Divide and conquer.
3. Leaders should be honorable but not if it threatens their rule.
4. Keep discipline and order.
5. If the result is good, the means will be accepted.
30
 Focuses on the point that people have to do something

not necessarily good to attain something good.
 Leaders should be prepared to do evil when necessary to
gain power.
 According to Kai Nielsen –”where the only choice is
between evil and evil, it can never be wrong , and it will
always be right , to choose the lesser evil.”

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Presentation on consequentialism,

Deontology, and Machiavelli’s

 Is a class of normative ethical theories

 Whenever we are deciding what to do, we

 Every advantage in the past is judged in

 Ethical theories are the theories which is concerned with

 Etymologically, deontology is derived from the Greek

 In deontological ethics an action is considered morally

 It falls under the moral theories that guide and

 The first great philosopher to define deontological

 The theory of deontology states that we are morally obligated to

 Actions in deontology are always judged independently of their

 Deontological theories hold that some acts are

 According to Kant, the moral worth of an action is

 Kant states that a true moral proposition must not be tied to

 Example: Robbery is a heinous act. It is taken bad by US

 “Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in

Universal principles and rules

• Rules and laws bind duty

• Right action = moral (Deontology)

• Good Result = moral (Consequentialism)

 This theory is rule-based and absolute, giving us some rules

 Kant underestimates the importance of taking consequences

• radical ethical thinker

 An action is good not because God commands it, nor

 Focuses on the point that people have to do something

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