Moral philosopher

Deontology

Deontology assesses the moral rightness of actions based on a set of norms or principles. These norms describe the requirements that all actions need to follow. They may include principles like telling the truth, keeping promises, and not intentionally harming others. Unlike consequentialists, deontologists hold that the validity of general moral principles does not directly depend on their consequences. For example, moral philosopher David Ross suggests that it is wrong to break a promise even if no harm comes from it. Deontologists hold that duties should be followed since they express how actions are inherently right or wrong. They are interested in which actions are right and often allow that there is a gap between what is right and what is good. Many focus on prohibitions and describe which acts are forbidden under any circumstances.