Ethical Theories How to Recognize Them

Consequentialism

Deontology

Virtue Theory

Emphasis on

Emphasizes the effects of an action: costs/benefits relationship; advantages/disadvantages.

Emphasizes the intentions of an action: motivations or reasons; good will or bad will.

Emphasizes the moral status of the agent: positive/negative traits of personality; virtues or vices.

Focus on

Focuses on the overall amount of happiness (would the world be a better place?)

Focuses on the rights and duties of the people. Rights (to live, to own property, to be free, to be respected); Duties (to respect other lives, other’s freedom, property, etc.)

Focuses on self-improvement: those activities that make you a better person and develop your character.

Fathers / initiators:

Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill (English Utilitarianists)

Immanuel Kant (German transcendentalism)

Aristotle (Greek Naturalism)

Foundation

Happiness is intrinsically good/desirable. It is an end in itself.

Fulfilling duties and obligations is intrinsically good. 

Self-improvement is intrinsically desirable

Assumption

Every person has the same capacity for happiness or sadness. Every person's happiness has the same value and important of any other person's.

Categorial imperative: people are "ends" in themselves, as opposed to "means" (objects, tools). People and their lives are special and are the most important and sacred thing.

Good life: only a virtuous life is worth living. A virtue is the middle ground between two extreme behaviour (vices).

What is happiness?

Happiness is the goal of any moral action.

Happiness is just unessential from a moral point of view.

True happiness is just a byproduct or side-effect of improving yourself or being a virtuous person.

What is rationality?

Rational decision-making is a useful tool to choose the most advantageous actions

Rationality is the only way to judge good and bad rules of behavior and to give ourselves duties and obligations.

Rationality is a special virtue, a distinctive characteristic of human nature. Must be improved engaging in all activities that make us more intelligent, educated, knowleadgeable, wise, logical, critical.