Ethical Theory (II) - Duty Based Ethics — Healthcare Ethics and Law (2024)

Next we turn our attention to duty based ethics, also known as deontology (from the Greek ‘deon’ meaning duty), which is heavily influenced by the work of Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). Whilst consequentialist ethics bases what is morally right or wrong on the consequences of the action, duty based ethics claims that there are certain actions which are morally right and wrong regardless of the consequences they bring about. Kant claimed that we ought to act in accordance with a universal moral law. Furthermore, he introduced the concept of categorical imperatives. These are universal moral laws which ought to be followed regardless of our own motivations or desires. You can find the full text of Kant’s Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals by clicking here.

Duty based ethics is often seen as a series of rules which it is our duty to follow. In healthcare, these come in the form of professional standards or duties. These rules, or duties, outline our obligations to our patients, to our peers and also to ourselves. They can be seen as the tenants of our conduct and professionalism. A simple and universal example of this in practice is the professional duty to ‘first, do no harm.’

Whilst this seems like an intuitively straightforward guide to medical ethics it is not without fault and we will now look at some of the drawbacks.During the Covid-19 pandemic, the difficulty clinicians faced is assessing which patients to admit when resources were stretched to capacity. In such cases, they were being required to triage patients and assess whether they should be treated. The challenge this poses to healthcare professionals is that it can lead to ethical duties coming into conflict. On the one hand our ethical duty is to do good (beneficence) and help patients as much as possible. On the other hand, with resources stretched we are having to consider whether we can do this for each patient on an individual level or whether we should refuse treatment for the benefit of others (healthcare justice). This is something which is a criticism of duty based ethical frameworks in general. They do not, in most cases, give us a way of ranking or prioritising our duties when such conflict occurs.

Another criticism of this model is that the rules prescribed can be too rigid and inflexible. A famous example of this can be seen in Kant’s views on lying. Kant believed that we should not lie under circ*mstances and that this was a rule that could not be broken regardless of the consequences. He gave the following example in the video below:

Ethical Theory (II) - Duty Based Ethics — Healthcare Ethics and Law (2024)

FAQs

Ethical Theory (II) - Duty Based Ethics — Healthcare Ethics and Law? ›

Duty based ethics is often seen as a series of rules which it is our duty to follow. In healthcare, these come in the form of professional standards or duties. These rules, or duties, outline our obligations to our patients, to our peers and also to ourselves.

What is duty based ethics in healthcare? ›

Deontology is also known as “duty-based ethics”. This ideology states that the correct course of action is dependent on what your duties and obligations are. It means that the morality of an action is based on whether you followed the rules, rather than what the consequence of following them was.

What are the 4 ethical theories of healthcare? ›

The 4 main ethical principles, that is beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice, are defined and explained.

What is duty based ethics theory? ›

Deontological (duty-based) ethics are concerned with what people do, not with the consequences of their actions. Do the right thing. Do it because it's the right thing to do. Don't do wrong things. Avoid them because they are wrong.

What is the ethical theory based on duty and obligations? ›

Deontology is an ethical theory that says actions are good or bad according to a clear set of rules. Its name comes from the Greek word deon, meaning duty. Actions that align with these rules are ethical, while actions that don't aren't.

What is an example of a duty based ethics? ›

Duty based ethics can be summarized succinctly as Do the right thing, along with it's converse, Don't do the wrong thing. Duty based ethics has a certain fundamental appeal. This is, after all, how we tend to teach our children: lying is wrong, stealing is wrong, hurting other people is wrong, so don't do these things.

What is duty based ethical theory in nursing? ›

Duty based ethics is often seen as a series of rules which it is our duty to follow. In healthcare, these come in the form of professional standards or duties. These rules, or duties, outline our obligations to our patients, to our peers and also to ourselves.

What is the best ethical theory for healthcare? ›

In theory, every action performed by a health care professional, in a professional relationship with a patient, can be expected to be guided by the ethical principle of beneficence. Moreover, the respect for patient autonomy and the practice of beneficent medical care can be considered to be mutually complementary.

How many ethical theories are there in healthcare? ›

This article will explore and summarise the four main ethical theories that have relevance for healthcare assistants. These are: utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics and principlism.

What are ethical theories and approaches in healthcare? ›

Teleology and Utilitarianism, deontology, and principlism, these theories can be applied in several procedures of ethical analysis, such as in analysis of cases (casuistry) and in different settings, moral or ethical theory may consider the application of rules or the consequences of actions [3].

What is positive duty based ethics? ›

Duty-based ethics maintains that you should follow an ethical code without considering the consequences of your actions. If an act is by its nature right, you should perform that act even if someone is harmed as a result. If an act is by its nature wrong, you should not perform that act even if someone might be helped.

What is the difference between duty based ethics and right based ethics? ›

In Right ethics - Human rights is the ultimate appeal and it should be respected; In Duty ethics - Duty is placed on others. For example, if we take right to live, we are placing a duty on others that they should not kill us.

Who said duty based ethics? ›

To Kant, all humans must be seen as inherently worthy of respect and dignity. He argued that all morality must stem from such duties: a duty based on a deontological ethic. Consequences such as pain or pleasure are irrelevant. (Well, he was German).

What is an example of duty and obligation? ›

Obligations are the legal rules, requirements, and scenarios in which people are required to do something. Duty, meanwhile, refers to the action that a person must perform in order to meet an obligation. For example, there is a legal obligation to follow the Highway Code in the UK.

What is the difference between duty and obligation in ethics? ›

An act of duty comes from a moral or legal necessity, according to DiffSense. An obligation, on the other hand, arises out of a set of rules aimed at maintaining order that one has signed himself up for.

What are duty based ethical standards often derive from? ›

Duty-based ethical standards are derived from religious precepts or philosophical principles. Outcome-based ethics focus on the consequences of an action, not on the nature of the action or on a set of pre-established moral values or religious beliefs.

What is the difference between duty based ethics and rights based ethics? ›

A right, in sum, is something you may do if you wish, and others are morally obligated to permit your action. Duties tend to be protective in nature; they're about assuring that people aren't mistreated. Rights are the flip side; they're liberating in nature, they're about assuring that you're as free as possible.

What is the difference between duty based ethics and deontology? ›

Deontological Ethics (aka Duty Ethics) focuses on actions; it holds that actions are moral if they abide by rules laid down by an external source, regardless of what the outcomes might be. This is good in the sense that it underscores equality and human rights (e.g., we're all equal under the law).

What is duty based ethics sometimes also called? ›

In moral philosophy, deontological ethics or deontology (from Greek: δέον, 'obligation, duty' + λόγος, 'study') is the normative ethical theory that the morality of an action should be based on whether that action itself is right or wrong under a series of rules and principles, rather than based on the consequences of ...

What is the difference between duty based ethics and outcome based ethics? ›

Answer and Explanation:

On the other hand, outcome-based ethical standards are based on results and outcomes which focus on what is likely to happen if one takes a particular course of action. Duty-based ethical standards are not concerned with what will happen if a particular course of action is taken.

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