Research Ethics and Duty: Ethics Focuses on Actions (Essay Sample)

Ethics and Duty
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Ethics and Duty
Deontology is the approach of ethics that focuses on whether actions are right or wrong. The approach does not consider the consequences of actions or the motives of the actor but considers the rightness and wrongness of the actions themselves. Thus, a deontologist takes action to conform to the moral norms depending on the rightness or wrongness of the action that brought the issue. However, in his response to a situation, the right action takes the lead for a deontologist. In taking the action, the principle of categorical imperative guides the deontologist. The principle indicates that one's actions should be right and in a way that fits the situation (Kant, 2004). Thus, a person fulfills ethical duty if he acts in a manner that other people in a similar situation would act.
My understanding of deontology is that one has to act right if the cause of his action is right. The actions of an individual should be universally acceptable. For instance, after an exercise, one may feel thirsty and therefore, the right action to take is drinking something. In different circumstances, the response of a person should not be out of his desires but intrinsically good in itself (Kant, 2004). Therefore, deontology encourages people to act in a way that shows their conditional obligation to serve humanity regardless of the consequences. For example in a moral dilemma where a trolley is approaching four immobile people, and the only way to stop the trolley is to throw a person in its ways, a deontologist will throw that person. Thus, the death of the one person who stops the cart is service to humanity in the sense that he saves the four people.
One advantage of deontology is that applying its principles enables one to treat others in a way that he would like them to treat him. According to Kant (2004), deontology is useful in establishing a universal moral standard where one acts in a manner that he will want others who are in a similar situation to act. If the world learns to respond to a similar situation in a particular way, then they can use that action as a standard moral behavior. It is a principle of deontology that one should respond to situations in a way that will serve humanity in the action and as a result of his response. Additionally, deontology teaches moral duties by encouraging people to choose actions that define their moral obligation in that the consequences that arise from the actions should remain useful regardless of the motive of the doer (Kant, 2004). Deontology cautions against making behaviors ethically worse but encourages the behaviors that observe moral laws in all situations and that such actions should be an ...