Which ethical framework judges the morality of an action based on the action's adherence to rules or duties?

• A. Deontological Ethics
• B. Normative Ethics
• C. Virtue Ethics
• D. Descriptive Ethics

Answer: (A)

The main concept is evaluating morality by whether an action follows duties or rules. Deontological ethics says that the rightness of an action comes from adhering to a moral obligation or universal rule, not from the outcome it produces. For example, telling the truth is considered the right thing to do because it aligns with the duty to be truthful, regardless of whether lying might bring a better result in a specific situation. This emphasis on duties and rules distinguishes it from other approaches.

Normative ethics is the broader field that asks what people ought to do and includes various theories, not just rule-based ones. Descriptive ethics describes how people actually think and behave morally, rather than judging actions as right or wrong. Virtue ethics evaluates actions based on the character and virtues of the person performing them, rather than on rule-following alone.