Question

• In your own words, describe the primary difference between consequentialist and non-consequentialist approaches to ethics.
• Choose one of the major theories associated with consequentialism: what objections might be made to this theory?
• Choose one of the major theories associated with non-consequentialism: what objections might be made to this theory?

Answer 1

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONSEQUENTIALIST AND NON-CONSEQUENTIALIST APPROACHES:

A Consequentialist would say that killing someone is justified because it would result in only one person dying rather than ten people dying.

A NON-CONSEQUENTIALIST would say it is inherently wrong to murder people and refuse to kill someone even though not killing someone leads to the death of nine more people than killing someone.

MAJOR THEORY ASSOCIATED WITH CONSEQUENTIALISM:

Most people would agree that telling lying is wrong. But if telling lie would help save a person's life. Consequentialism says it is right thing to do.

For example

Utilitarianism is a Consequentialist moral theory focused on maximizing the overall good, the good of others as well as the good of one's self.

OBJECTIONS

One of the most common objections to rule consequential ism is that it is incoherent because it is based on the Consequential principles that what we should be concerned with is maximizing the good.

MAJOR THEORY ASSOCIATED WITH NONCONSEQUENTIALISM:

NONCONSEQUENTIALISM is a type of normative ethical theory that denies that the rightness or wrongness of our conduct is determined solely by the goodness or badness of the consequences.

Example

Right theory states that people should adhere to their obligation and duties when enggaged in decission making when ethics are in play.

OBJECTIONS

NONCONSEQUENTIALISM does not deny that consequences can be a factor in determining the rightness of an act.Hence NONCONSEQUENTIALISM denies the truth of both act and rules of Consequential ism.