Deontological Versus Teleological

As we go through life we make choices and these choices are sometimes difficult to make. However, we ultimately make the choices based on our personal beliefs and what we determine to be good choices. What it all comes down to is our choice is what we believe to be the best course of action. Sometimes what we believe in comes at a price and that price is worth the cost if you believe in the cause so strongly enough to risk paying the consequences.

The deontological ethical system is one that is solely concerned with the inherent nature of the act of being judged (Pollock, 2012). An example of this would be when someone does something that has a bad result, yet people will judge it as a good deed because the intent of the act was a good one. If a person happens up on an accident and decides to moves the injured victim to the side of the road. They know if they move the victim it could be fatal, but decide to take the chance and the victim died as a result of being moved. Soon after the victim was moved the car exploded, which was determined would have ultimately killed the victim if they would have been left where they were. This will be judged as a good deed because the one who did the moving moved the victim because they thought that person would be in a safer place and out of harm’s way.

The teleological ethical system is one that is judged based on the outcome of the act. Even a bad act, if it results in good consequences, can be defined as good under a teleological system. The saying “the end justifies the means” is a teleological statement (Pollock, 2012). An example of this would be when someone does something that has a bad result people will judge it as a bad decision even though the intent of the act was a good one. If a person happens up on an accident and decides to moves the injured victim to the side of the road. They know if they move the victim it could be fatal, but decide to take the chance and the victim died as a result of being moved. Soon...