Ethical Theories
There are two main ethical theories that act as key tools in developing all ethical principals and
frameworks:
Consequentialsm
This theory can be simply defined as 'the ends always justify the means' Acts are considered right or wrong based on how good or bad the outcomes of those acts are (1). Consider a simple example:
A mother would like her to daughter to focus on her homework. To ensure this, the mother tells her daughter that the television show her daughter watches daily will not be aired tonight. However, this is not the truth. The daughter focuses on her homework instead of watching television, and completes her schoolwork as a result.
According to the theory of consequentialism, it was right for the mother to be dishonest, since the outcome was a good one.
Deontology
The theory of deontology is summarized as follows: 'the ends never justify the means.' Acts are considered right or wrong intrinsically, regardless of the outcomes (1,2). Considering the example given above of the mother and daughter, the mother would have committed a wrong act according to the theory of deontology. This is because the mother lied to her daughter, and lying is considered unethical regardless of the outcome it may lead to.
Deontological views are quite prominent in many religions and circles of belief. The Ten Commandments are a quintessential example of a deontological viewpoint (2). The commandments of 'thou shalt not lie' and 'thou shalt not kill' are considered right in every situation, without concern for the outcome.
Given the opposing nature of these two theories, it is only natural to ask yourself the following question: How do we combine these two theories to create medical ethics?
Lucky for us pharmacy students, that work has already been taken care of! Principles of medical ethics which strike a balance between consequentialism and deontology have been developed. Click on the link below to read more about these principles!
There are two main ethical theories that act as key tools in developing all ethical principals and
frameworks:
- Consequentialism
- Deontology
Consequentialsm
This theory can be simply defined as 'the ends always justify the means' Acts are considered right or wrong based on how good or bad the outcomes of those acts are (1). Consider a simple example:
A mother would like her to daughter to focus on her homework. To ensure this, the mother tells her daughter that the television show her daughter watches daily will not be aired tonight. However, this is not the truth. The daughter focuses on her homework instead of watching television, and completes her schoolwork as a result.
According to the theory of consequentialism, it was right for the mother to be dishonest, since the outcome was a good one.
Deontology
The theory of deontology is summarized as follows: 'the ends never justify the means.' Acts are considered right or wrong intrinsically, regardless of the outcomes (1,2). Considering the example given above of the mother and daughter, the mother would have committed a wrong act according to the theory of deontology. This is because the mother lied to her daughter, and lying is considered unethical regardless of the outcome it may lead to.
Deontological views are quite prominent in many religions and circles of belief. The Ten Commandments are a quintessential example of a deontological viewpoint (2). The commandments of 'thou shalt not lie' and 'thou shalt not kill' are considered right in every situation, without concern for the outcome.
Given the opposing nature of these two theories, it is only natural to ask yourself the following question: How do we combine these two theories to create medical ethics?
Lucky for us pharmacy students, that work has already been taken care of! Principles of medical ethics which strike a balance between consequentialism and deontology have been developed. Click on the link below to read more about these principles!
References:
1. Haddad A, Veath RM. Case Studies in Pharmacy Ethics. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 2008.
2. Hebert BC. Doing Right. 2nd ed. Toronto: Oxford University Press Canada; 2009.
1. Haddad A, Veath RM. Case Studies in Pharmacy Ethics. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 2008.
2. Hebert BC. Doing Right. 2nd ed. Toronto: Oxford University Press Canada; 2009.