Virtue ethics is a variety of ethical theory with a very long history, extending back to 6th-4th century BCE Greece and China. Nonetheless, in contemporary ethical theorizing, virtue ethics is considered a relative newcomer alongside consequentialist theories and deontological theories. This is because virtue ethics had a long dormant period in western ethics, and contemporary… Read More »Introduction to Virtue Ethics
‘Deontological‘ is a term used to describe a variety of moral theories that all put limitations on maximizing good outcomes. Kantian ethics – named for philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) – is one of the most commonly discussed deontological theories. In fact, the association is so close that you may find the terms ‘Kantianism’ and ‘deontology’… Read More »Introduction to Deontology
Utilitarianism is one of the several moral theories most commonly taught in ethics courses. It is a specific version of a broader family of theories that go by the name “consequentialism.” Consequentialist theories maintain that the right action is the one that produces the best consequences. In other words, when judging an action’s rightness, only… Read More »Introduction to Utilitarianism
