Hello viewers Great Synonym is back with another informative and life-changing blog post. Today’s blog post topic is about Ethical theories. In this blog post, we will learn what are ethical theories and why are they important. Also, we will discuss how these theories help individuals to live the rest of their lives in a more advanced and better way. Read the blog post till the end, this is going to be a very useful blog post.
Introduction:
Before moving to the ethical theories. First, get an understanding of what are ethics. The word ‘Ethics’ is a synonymous term for morality. Morality is the perception or opinion of your thinking and observation about any action or event. Ethics is a much broader term in comparison to morality. Ethics is the common observation, thinking, or opinion about an action on which the whole society agrees. The difference between the two is that morality is about personal opinion whereas ethics are based upon the overall opinion of society. So, it can’t be personal.
We’ve learned what is ethics and morality. Let’s move to the main topic of what are ethical theories.
What are Ethical Theories:
A system of moral principles or rules of behavior defines ethics. Ethical theories are the theories presented on ethics by known scholars. The purpose of ethical theories is to discover a new way to live a life. These theories are usually the guidelines to decide what is right and what is wrong. Most of the ethics words derive from the Greek language.
The following are some famous ethical theories:
1- Deontologial Theory:
As said earlier most of the words in ethics are taken from the Greek language. The word deontology is derived from the Greek word “deon” which means duty or obligations. German Philosopher Immanuel Kant presented this theory. That is why it is also called Kant’s ethical theory. Kant’s ethical theory is one of the most famous of all the ethical theories.
It states that “we are only responsible for our work or acts without having a concern about its consequences.” This means you have to do your duty following all the moral values. Whatever you get in the end, you have to accept and respect the results of your final efforts. Just focus on the rightness and wrongness of your actions rather than the consequences.
2- Utilitarian Theory:
The word utilitarian is derived from the word utility. In Ethics, utility refers to the meaning of happiness that is the result of your actions. Initially, Jeremy Bentham worked on this philosophy and later this theory was given by John Stuart Mill. This is another one of the most famous theories in the list of famous Ethical theories. The utilitarian theory is the exact opposite version of the previous deontological theory.
This theory states that “whatever the actions or decisions are you applying to do your job, the final results must be satisfying and pleasuring. Unlike deontological theory, there is no concern about your actions. All that matters is the final output or the result. You have to focus on your behaviors and results. Ethics is the measure of maximum happiness.
3- Virtual Theory:
The initial idea of the theory was presented by Socrates and was subsequently developed further by Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics. This is one of the oldest theories among all ethical theories. This theory is based on two initial questions. These are:
- How to live a good life?
- How to become a better person?
This theory is all about morality. This idea is all about right and wrong. Every day, you should think about the things in your life that aren’t working well and try to figure out the best ways to fix them. A good life is just one in which you are happy with everything. You don’t feel bad about living your life. You have to be willing to help other people if you want to live a good life. This is what makes you a better person.
4- Justice Theory:
Justice theory is also known as the fairness approach. The name reflects the idea that justice theory was meant to present equal justice rights to all the members of the society. This theory was developed by a philosopher named John Rawls. Rawls was the first who raise his voice for equal human rights in his philosophies and theories. The fairness approach or justice theory depends upon the principle of equality.
5- Egoism Theory:
This theory was presented by one of the Famous novel writers and philosophers, Ayn Rand. Rand was the first philosopher who introduced the concept of the theory. This theory of egoism states that “Your actions are based on your own self-interest”. Your interests and views should always come first. Egoism says that you should only do what’s best for yourself. First, look out for your own well-being, then think about other people.
Importance of Ethical Theories:
Ethical theories play a key role in the early development of society’s behavior and decision-making processes and allow them to live more advanced and fulfilled lives. Ethical theories are important because they provide moral guidance, encourage self-thinking, make societies more peaceful, promote social harmony, support good behavior, and enhance personal growth. By following these principles, everyone can try to live in a more advanced and better way both for themselves and for the community as a whole.
Conclusion:
This is all of today’s blog post on ethical theories. We’ve learned how ethics and morality can be differentiated. Also, we have discussed the famous and important ethical theories in detail. I hope that all of you have enjoyed reading the blog post on ethical theories.