What is the Difference Between Teleological and Deontological?

The main difference between teleological and deontological ethics lies in the basis for determining the morality of an action.

Teleological ethics, also known as consequentialist ethics, focuses on the end goal or outcome of an action and determines morality based on whether the outcome is good or bad. This approach considers the consequences of an action and evaluates its rightness or wrongness based on the results. Examples of teleological ethical theories include Utilitarianism by Jeremy Bentham and Situation Ethics by Fletcher.

On the other hand, deontological ethics evaluates the morality of an action based on its inherent rightness or wrongness, regardless of its consequences. This approach prioritizes duties, obligations, and the intrinsic nature of actions, rather than focusing on the outcomes. Deontological ethics is often associated with absolute moral principles and rules that apply universally. Kantian Ethics is a prominent example of a deontological theory.

In summary, the key differences between teleological and deontological ethics are:

• Teleological ethics is consequentialist, focusing on the consequences of actions.
• Deontological ethics is non-consequentialist, focusing on the inherent nature of actions.
• Teleological ethics is results-oriented, while deontological ethics is duty-oriented.

Comparative Table: Teleological vs Deontological

The main difference between teleological and deontological ethics lies in the way they determine the moral value of an action. Teleological ethics focuses on the consequences of an action, while deontological ethics is concerned with the inherent morality of the action itself, disregarding the possible outcomes. Here is a table comparing the two approaches:

In summary, teleological ethics emphasizes the morality of the consequences of actions, while deontological ethics focuses on the inherent morality of the action itself, without considering the possible outcomes.