Classical Ethical Systems and Communication Ethics
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Classical Ethical Systems and Communication Ethics
Alexandra R. Sapp
Grand Canyon University
COM-333: Communication Ethics
Professor Mullane
February 5, 2024
Classical Ethical Systems and Communication Ethics
As individuals, it is crucial to use ethics, especially when it comes to communicating with
other individuals. One framework of ethics that is very important is Deontology. Deontology is described as “ethical theory that uses rules to distinguish right from wrong” (Ethics Unwrapped, 2022). When it comes to ethics, this is something that we take part in in our everyday lives without even noticing. This is something that occurs naturally whether we notice it or not. It is important for individuals to have ethical discussions in order to open their eyes on their views throughout certain scenarios and/or discussions. When it comes to Deontology, this gives individuals the ability to distinguish what is right from what is wrong. When it comes to ethical communication, one of the most important values of an ethical communicator is knowing how to distinguish what is right from what is wrong. The core ideas
and values of Deontology are being able to provide a clear set of rules for individuals to follow, in order to realize what is right from wrong. Deontology was created by Immanuel Kent, and he believed that individuals were able to reason and understand moral laws that can be applied in a variety of situations (Barrow, 2023). According to “Ethics Explainer: Deontology”, the author states that “From an ethical perspective, personhood creates a range of rights and obligations because every person has inherent dignity – something that is fundamental to and is held in equal
measure by each and every person” (The Ethics Centre, 2016). When it comes to these theories, even though a certain act can lead to a desirable outcome, not all acts are right, and can be morally bad. This is where Deontology is risky because actions are always being judged independently of its own outcome. When it comes to the view of the good for Deontology, it emphasizes the value of every individual. When looking at the future, the future is very unpredictable, so Deontology teaches individuals to make judgments on things that they are certain about. Individuals know the difference between what is right and what is wrong, especially when they are engaging and taking part in the action. Deontology also gives credit for intentions and motivations (Radford University, 2020). When looking from an ethical standpoint, even though an individual may do something for a good and valid reason, it is possible for this to still have a negative outcome. Just
because the outcome is negative, does not mean that the action that was taken was unethical. It could possibly still be ethical, but at the end of the day, accidents happen, outcomes are uncertain, and people can’t be held accountable or responsible for the future (Radford University, 2020). The paradox of deontology, also known as POD “have argued that the agent-
relativity of deontological constraints accounts for why an agent may not kill one in order to prevent five others from being killed. Constraints provide reasons for particular agents not to kill,
not reasons to minimize overall killings” (Johnson 2019). In this article, Johnson claims that even if an agent is not allowed to kill a person in order to save the lives of others, that agent should be allowed to kill one individual in order to prevent the murder of multiple individuals. Deontological ethics have an association between morality, as well as the duty of human actions.
In deontological ethics, a certain act an individual makes is seen as “morally good”, of certain action characteristics, and not just because the results are “good”.
One of the major thinkers of deontology was Immanuel Kant. Kant was the first philosopher that founded the principles of deontology, and believed that moral law is a truth of reason. He views moral law as something that should be formed by human reasoning, and demonstrates this in many different instances. Kant argues that good will has unconditional values, especially when individuals focus on outcomes rather than their duty. In other terms, to Kant, this meant the decision to carry out one’s moral duties (Smith, n.d.). Another major thinker
of deontology is Davis Ross. Ross is another philosopher who believed that “a moral theory that ignored duty or a moral theory that ignored consequences ‘over-simplifies the moral life’” (Smith, n.d.). Ross argues that consequences of individuals are morally relevant when they are considered in the light of one’s moral duties. Ross also opposed the idea of utilitarianism, due to the fact that his principles of deontology lie within the intrinsic act of value, rather than consequences and motives.
In conclusion, the framework of deontology is able to describe the core values, beliefs, view of the good, and what is right from what is wrong. Immanuel Kant and David Ross were able to contribute their values and principles to deontology, in order to elaborate on what is wrong from what is right. There are many deontological rules that are needed or prohibited from certain actions of individuals.
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References
Barrow, J. M. (2023, August 8). Deontology
. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459296/#:~:text=According%20to
%20Immanuel%20Kant%20(1724,which%20is%20binding%5B1%5D. Deontology
. Ethics Unwrapped. (2022, November 5). https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/deontology#:~:text=Deontology
%20is%20an%20ethical%20theory%20that%20uses%20rules%20to
%20distinguish,Don%27t%20cheat.” M. Johnson, C. (2019). The Intrapersonal Paradox of Deontology. Journal of Moral Philosophy, 16(3), 279–301. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1163/17455243-20182527
The Ethics Centre. (2016, February 18). Ethics explainer: What is deontology?
. THE ETHICS CENTRE. https://ethics.org.au/ethics-explainer-deontology/#:~:text=We
%20should%20do%20our%20duty,for%20the%20moral%20law%20itself. Radford University Core Handbook. (2020, October 30). Deontology: Strengths & weaknesses
. Ethics and Society. https://viva.pressbooks.pub/phi220ethics/chapter/deontology-
pros-cons/#:~:text=Another%20good%20point%20about%20deontology,you
%20expect%20to%20have%20yourself. Smith, N. (n.d.). 9.3 deontology - introduction to philosophy
. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/introduction-philosophy/pages/9-3-
deontology#:~:text=Later%20deontologists—for%20instance%2C%20W.%20D.,
(Ross%201939%2C%20189).