Topic > Ethical Egoism Theory - 1158

This theory judges the morality of an action based on whether the action adheres to a set of rules. It explains how an action is morally right if it is required by duty and should not conflict with any other action required by another duty. By doing our duty we do what is valuable, this theory focuses on the structure of moral judgment. You should act regardless of your personal goals or interests. Kantian formalism is based on deontology and are united by their opposition to purely opposing the consequentiality of moral thought; some even argue that morally wrong behavior can have entirely good consequences, and morally right behavior can have entirely bad consequences (Frankena, 1973, 16). Kant's formalism is straightforward, basically in simple terms; Would you like it if someone did this to you? NO? Then that action is morally wrong. According to Kant, some problems with consequentialism, he believes that if we are inclined to do what we believe to be good while trying to produce good consequences, then this act is not morally responsible. People differ in what they believe are good consequences, so we can never truly know and come to agreement whether this action is morally sound. Because Kant does not believe that ethics is based on a desire, a need or an emotion but is about what is right and doing one's duty (Mizzoni, 2010.