How to Classify Moral & Ethical Theories

It's helpful to know how to classify moral and ethical theories.

Questions of ethics and morality have intrigued and baffled philosophers for millennia. Indeed, moral and ethical theories come in all shapes and sizes. Having some criteria by which to classify them can be a helpful way to begin to understand them. Start by evaluating them individually according to how they relate conduct to character, as well as how much importance they place on consequences of actions. It's also a good idea to look for whether a theory provides one or several moral rules to determine whether an action is right or wrong.

Instructions

1. Evaluate the theory based on how it connects what to do (that is, right conduct) with how to be (that is, right character), if at all. If a theory holds that right conduct is determined according to the consequences of that conduct, with less focus on moral character, then that theory can be classified as "teleological." If the theory holds that the consequences of conduct are less important (or even irrelevant), focusing more on the will or moral fiber that caused it, then the theory can be classified as "deontological."

2. Assess the theory in terms of its focus on consequences, if any. Theories that place the most emphasis on consequences of actions can be classified as "consequentialist." Theories that downplay or deny the importance of the consequences of actions can be classified as "nonconsequentialist."

3. Determine how many principles guide the theory's view of the morality of actions. If the theory relies solely on one rule that determines whether an action is right or wrong, the theory can be classified as "monistic." If the theory relies on several rules that can determine whether an action is right or wrong, the theory can be classified as "pluralistic."

References

• Christian Brothers University: Content and Character - Readings in Moral Theory; Mark Timmons
• Archive.org: Contemporary Idealism in America; Cifford Barrett; 1932