Deontology Vs Utilitarianism Essay

I think the two ethical philosophies that are the closest fit with my personal views are deontology and utilitarianism. At first glance, it would appear that these two philosophies oppose each other. Deontology focuses on the act itself and that “the end never justifies the means.” While on the other hand, utilitarianism focuses on the outcome and that “the end always justifies the means.” Personally, I think there are certain components of each, and different situations/contexts, in which I apply each one.
In my everyday life, I would have to say I lean more towards the deontological ethical philosophy. I am a very rule oriented person, and I usually feel the need to do the action that is universally acceptable. I become very nervous when I am put in even the most minor ethical dilemmas. For example, I get anxious when I skip tennis practice to finish homework or when I fill a free water cup with soda at a fast food restaurant. Despite the fact that the consequences of these actions are not very severe or significant, if you just …show more content…
In almost all of the instances in which I use this approach, my family and/or friends are involved in the action. I think this approach appeals more towards my emotional side, as opposed to the deontological approach, which I feel appeals to my rational/logical side. I have four sisters, and sometimes they would get I trouble (like most kids do). I remember when I was younger, they would get grounded and not be allowed to go over a friend’s house. In that case, I would try to convince my parents to let me stay home instead, even though I wasn’t the one who wanted to leave in the first place. In hind sight, I realize that was not the greatest strategy to use, but even today, I still feel the need to try to do things for the greater good of my family and friends, even if I don’t end up on the positive side at the