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Deontology is an ethical theory that uses rules to distinguish right from wrong
. Deontology is often associated with philosopher Immanuel Kant. Kant believed that ethical actions follow universal moral laws, such as “Don't lie. Don't steal.
Unlike utilitarianism, in which the justification for an action is decided by whether the action would bring the greatest happiness/welfare for the most people or society, in deontology, whether an action is moral is evaluated by the nature of the action, not its consequences
. Another good point about deontology is its emphasis on the value of every human
. While utilitarians consider everyone equal, it's more of a numbers game. But a deontologist insists that you treat everyone with respect and give everyone the rights you expect to have yourself.
Consequentialism is a theory that says whether something is good or bad depends on its outcomes
. An action that brings about more benefit than harm is good, while an action that causes more harm than benefit is not. The most famous version of this theory is utilitarianism.
