consequentialism

Noun

Meaning

(ethics) The ethical study of morals, duties and rights with an approach that focuses consequences of a particular action or cause.

(ethics) The belief that consequences form the basis for any valid moral judgment about an action. Thus, from a consequentialist standpoint, a morally right action is one that produces a good outcome, or consequence.

Synonyms

Examples

Agent-focused consequentialism, on the other hand, focuses on the particular needs of the moral agent. Source: Internet

Damien Keown (1996), Karma, character, and consequentialism, The Journal of Religious Ethics, pp 329-350. Source: Internet

Bernard Williams has argued that consequentialism is alienating because it requires moral agents to put too much distance between themselves and their own projects and commitments. Source: Internet

He argues further that consequentialism fails to make sense of intuitions that it can matter whether or not someone is personally the author of a particular consequence. Source: Internet

Apart from this basic outline, there is little else that can be unequivocally said about consequentialism as such. Source: Internet

Bernard Williams, "Utilitarianism" in his Morality, Cambridge University Press 1993 Like deontology, rule consequentialism holds that moral behavior involves following certain rules. Source: Internet

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