Rachel Patmore’s Updates

Assignment 6

The deontological perspective holds that morals are either right or they are wrong on principle, and that we have a duty to do the right thing no matter what the circumstance. A small example of this is in telling a lie; if a friend asked if their new fringe hairstyle looks good, or if an outfit looks good on them that you don’t like, what are you going to say? A utilitarian may say that it is acceptable to say it looks fine, because they will be happy and you will also be happy because they are; thus the outcome is good for the most people. A deontologist may say that you should be honest, and tell them that they look bad because on principle telling the truth is the right thing to do. I have come across this situation where I have lied to a friend to spare their feelings as well as told the truth. I have also been motivated to tell the truth at some points, because I want my friends to be able to trust me (when I say I like something I really mean it); I believe that the rationale for answering the question is more ethical egoist than deontological because I am still answering the question for my own self interest. In other, more significant matters, I am more guided by a deontological perspective; for example, when I took the pre-course survey, I did not cheat and look up the answers; this is because on principle, I am against cheating. If everyone cheated, then holding an academic degree would not hold the same value because there would not be as high of a standard of knowledge associated with it.