Re Deontological and Teleological

The difference between deontological and teleological approaches to ethics

In ethics there are two different approaches towards it, these are called deontological and teleological. In this essay I will be exploring these two approaches and the theories which link to them and what they mean. There are separate theories for each of these approaches.

The first approach we will be looking at is the teleological approach; the teleological approach is based on what we consider is right and wrong based on its consequences and how the end results are determined. The teleological approach is basically actions which are deemed good/bad depending on their consequences. There is never a sometimes good/bad situation or maybe, this means that the teleological approach believes in something being extrinsic which means that they can only be good/bad. The scenario we are going to use is either killing 5 in order to save 1 and vice versa and we will be discussing the implications and various ethical answers.

The two separate theories for the teleological approach are as follows, one is called utilitarianism and the other is called situation ethics. Utilitarianism is a theory which states that whichever ethical decision is made it has to be one which promotes happiness and least unhappiness for the most amounts of people. Therefore in a scenario where killing 5 in order to save 1 and vice versa, a utilitarian would most likely kill the one person in order to save the five as this would allow for happiness for the most amount of people. This means that this would create the most happiness amongst the 5 people and their families rather than the 1 person and his/hers family. The other theory for the teleological approach is situation ethics. Situation ethics is a theory which states that whichever ethical decision is made it has to be one which promotes most loving and least unloving for the most amounts of people. Therefore in a situation where killing 5 in order to save 1 and vice...