Topic > Comparison between utilitarian and deontological theories

IndexWhat is utilitarianismWhat is deontological theoryViews of the human personContrast in human rightsWhat is utilitarianismUtilitarianism also known as consequentialism is a theory that focuses on the consequences of human actions . Theorists who follow utilitarianism believe that everyone should act in a way that brings the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people. In other words, the correct moral solution is the one that has the most positive results with the least negative ones. Decision making can be seen as very mechanical, calculations are made to determine the best outcome. Utilitarianism relies on all followers agreeing on a list of general rules. The list of rules is followed to increase the overall happiness of a society in the long run. Some consider these rules more as general guidelines (Act Utilitarian), which can be broken under certain conditions, but the consequences must always be considered first. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay What is Deontological Theory Deontological moral systems focus on a person's obedience to moral duties/rules. Deontologists believe that in order for a person to make the correct moral decisions, he or she must first understand what his or her moral duties are and what rules are in place to regulate these duties. Therefore, following these rules/duties means that a person behaves morally correctly. If they do not comply with these duties, it means that the person is behaving immorally. Views on the human person A utilitarian and a deontologist have very different views on the human person. These opinions are created from the foundations of each theory. A utilitarian believes that the right moral decision depends on the consequences of making the decision. He/she believes that if his/her decision brings more happiness than sadness then it is the morally correct thing to do. Let's consider this hypothetical situation, if a suspect were captured in connection with a hidden nuclear bomb would it be right to torture him, find the bomb and prevent this terrorist attack? Looking at this situation from a utilitarian point of view, the answer would be yes. For the sake of discussion, let's assume that there are two possible choices: (1). Torture the suspect to pinpoint the location of the bomb and prevent it from causing massive devastation or (2). Don't torture the suspect and hope another lead emerges, putting millions of lives at risk. The answer is calculated and it is found that the lowest number of victims falls under option one. In conclusion, utilitarians believe that sometimes it is necessary to sacrifice people for the greater good of humanity. On the other hand we have the deontologist. Deontologists believe that all human life should be valued equally. They believe that morality consists of respecting the ability of every human being to set rational goals and to dedicate one's life to achieving those goals. The rules followed by deontologists reinforce this theory, these rules prohibit many things such as lying and harming others. So, if we were to review the above hypothetical situation (suspected bomb scenario) but through the perspective of deontologists, the outcome would be completely different from that of a utilitarian. Contrast in Human Rights Looking at the foundations of both theories we can see that they both have a very different approach to human rights. To show the difference in human rights between the two theories, let's look at abortion. Abortion is a difficult ethical topic in most theories,.