Dominant Approaches to Ethical Reasoning
Before starting the comparison, it is essential to list the schools of ethics being compared. Dominant theories are deontology and consequentialism, Kantianism, and utilitarian perspective. Alternative ones are legalistic moralism, Social Justice Theory, and, Hinduism ethics. In order to compare the dominant and alternative approaches to ethical reasoning, they were divided according to the perspectives of these theories on the priority of the means of achievement and the goal.
In dominant theories, deontology and Kantian ethics consider means of achievement or action as critical aspects of ethics. Mandal et al. (2016) state that “deontology is ethics of duty where the morality of an action depends on the nature of the action” (p. 5). In Kantian ethics, a person, guided by a universal rule, is obliged to do the right deed, even if the result will be wrong or harmful.
Conversely, the goal or desired outcome determines the morality of the actions performed in consequentialism and utilitarianism. Researchers note that “consequentialism is an ethical theory that judges whether or not something is right by what its consequences are” (“Consequentialism,” 2020, para. 1). According to Mandal et al. (2016), “in the utilitarian approach, decisions are chosen based on the greatest amount of benefit obtained for the greatest number of individuals” (p. 5). These ethical theories are considered to be related to each other in academic philosophy.
Alternative Approaches to Ethical Reasoning
Modern and religious theories of ethical reasoning also have differing views on the importance of action and purpose. Legal moralism focuses on the aspects of action and pays little attention to the desired outcome concept. Moral wrongdoing should be criminalized appropriately and reasonably in this ethical theory (Moore, 2017).
Hindu ethics has several instructions, which are dharma, kama, artha, and moksha, on how a person should act to achieve well-being in this and the next life (“Hindu beliefs,” 2020). Therefore, the means of achievement determine the result that a person will achieve, although a universal desired outcome is also pre-established. Social Justice ethics proponents see social justice as an objective good for all (Investopedia Staff, 2020). Here, all societal actions should be aimed at achieving it and taken following its principles.
References
Consequentialism. (2020). Ethics Unwrapped. Web.
Hindu beliefs. (2020). BBC. Web.
Investopedia Staff. (2020). Social justice. Investopedia. Web.
Mandal, J., Ponnambath, D. K., & Parija, S. C. (2016). Utilitarian and deontological ethics in medicine. Tropical Parasitology, 6(1), 5-7. Web.
Moore, M. S. (2017). Legal moralism revisited. San Diego Law Review, 54, 441-464. Web.