Due Week 1 Day 5 Select two major ethical theories covered in your readings for Week One What are the major differences between these two theories Which one of these theories is most aligned to your personal beliefs Explain Your answer should be between 100 150 words The two that I will look at are Virtue Ethics and Deontology Virtue ethics has its origin in Classical Greek and means that a person strives for excellence in all aspects of his life moral and nonmoral and expects the reciprocal excellence in others It has to do with good character motives and relationship Deontology also has Greek origin and means duty and science so deontology is focused on rules and duty So deontology is more concerned with the action or duty It comes down to more what you do than the why you do It is also stated as right has priority over good Based on the reading virtue ethics is grounded in doing acting because of good while in deontology you do act because it is the duty regardless of good Virtue ethics is more aligned with my beliefs because I am more concerned with good based on moral conviction relationship and motives In my estimation something may be right culturally and legal but it may not be for common good For example I would not do something just because it is a duty and not be concerned about the effect it may have on others Sources Alexander Larry and Moore Michael Deontological Ethics The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Fall 2008 Edition Edward N Zalta ed http plato stanford edu archives fall2008 entries ethics deontological Hursthouse Rosalind Virtue Ethics The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Winter 2010 Edition Edward N Zalta ed http plato stanford edu archives win2010 entries ethics virtue Boylan M 2009 Basic Ethics 2nd ed Upper Saddle River NJ Prentice Hall Response 2 Two major ethics theories covered in the readings this week are Deontology and Utilitarianism Boylan 2009 stated Deontology is a moral theory that emphasizes one s duty to do a particular action just because the action itself is inherently right and not through any other sorts of calculations such as the consequences of the action p 171 Boylan 2009 stated Utilitarianism is a theory that suggests that an action is morally right when that action produces more total utility for the group than any other alternative p 153 These two theories differ because deontology results in a moral command acted out based on principle which through the understanding of the actions structure is justified and not by its consequences Utilitarianism in contrast believes in producing the benefits over harm for all affected even if the benefits are achieved through coercion lies or manipulation Although I believe there is another theory better aligned to my personal beliefs if I had to choose one of these over the other I would pick utilitarianism Even though I do not believe in manipulation or lying to get anything I do believe in achieving the greatest benefit rather than harm I would not choose to do anything that would bring me harm if I had a choice If I were to go out for dinner one night and had to choose between two entrees one I liked and one I did not I would not choose the one that would bring me the least amount of pleasure I would opt for the one that would satisfy me the most Prior to making any decision in my life I do consider the consequences which is why I do not feel the deontology theory aligns to my personal beliefs