Names: 1) Sangeeta Govinden (11M12) 2) Subbashini Sekar Chandran (11M11) 3) Beh Yuan Ye (11M11) 4) Wong Chern Yao (11M12)

Name of Lecturer : Puan Nik Aminah

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Introduction Philosophy is the art of logic. Philosophers come to the same thinking after much deliberation and thought. In this folio, we look at two areas of philosophy which are the existentialism theory and deontology theory. First of all, the folio will cover on the existentialism theory. A brief overview of this theory is that it is more a methodology or sensibility, which raises the questions - "Who am I? What am I? What life shall I live? How shall I live it? concerning the individual and his or her journey and discovery of truth. An existentialist would answer those questions differently than a psychologist or religious clergy would. This theory is further explained in detail in the folio. Moving on to deontology, a deontologist, like the utilitarian is looking for an objective basis to ground all moral actions. Unlike a utilitarian, though, a deontologist would completely reject the idea that the goodness or badness of an act can be determined by its consequences. For the deontologist there must be something intrinsic to the act itself that determines its moral status. One part of the deontology theory talks about Kants Deontology. The details of the deontology theory shall be revealed in the folio.

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Deontology
The word deontology comes from the Greek roots deon, which means duty and logos, which means science. Thus, deontology is the "science of duty." Deontological moral systems are characterized by a focus upon adherence to independent moral rules or duties. To make the correct moral choices, we have to understand what our moral duties are and what correct rules exist to regulate those duties. Deontological moral systems are characterized by a focus upon adherence to independent moral rules or duties. To make the correct moral choices, we have to understand what our moral duties are and what correct rules exist to regulate those duties. When we follow our duty, we are behaving morally. When we fail to follow our duty, we are behaving immorally. Typically in any deontological system, our duties, rules, and obligations are determined by God. Being moral is thus a matter of obeying God.

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Types of deontology
i.

Divine Command
The most common forms of deontological moral theories are those which derive their set of moral obligations from a god. According to many Christians, for example, an action is morally correct whenever it is in agreement with the rules and duties established by God.

ii.

Duty Theories
An action is morally right if it is in accord with some list of duties and obligations.

iii.

Rights Theories
An action is morally right if it adequately respects the rights of all humans (or at least all members of society). This is also sometimes referred to as Libertarianism, the political philosophy that people should be legally free to do whatever they wish so long as their actions do not impinge upon the rights of others.

iv.

Contractarianism
An action is morally right if it is in accordance with the rules that rational moral agents would agree to observe upon entering into a social relationship (contract) for mutual benefit. This is also sometimes referred to as Contractualism.

v.

Monistic Deontology
An action is morally right if it agrees with some single deontological principle which guides all other subsidiary principles

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Problems With Deontological Ethics

A common criticism of deontological moral systems is that they provide no clear way to resolve conflicts between moral duties. a deontological moral system should include both a moral duty not to lie and one to keep others from harm, for example, but in the above situation how is a person to choose between those two moral duties? A popular response to this is to simply choose the "lesser of two evils," but that means relying on which of the two has the least evil consequences and, therefore, the moral choice is being made on a consequentialist rather than a deontological basis.

Some critics argue that deontological moral systems are, in fact, consequentialist moral systems in disguise. According to this argument, duties and obligations which set forth in deontological systems are actually those actions which have been demonstrated over long periods of time to have the best consequences. Eventually, they become enshrined in custom and law and people stop giving them or their consequences much thought they are simply assumed to be correct. Deontological ethics are thus ethics where the reasons for particular duties have been forgotten, even if things have completely changed.

A second criticism is that deontological moral systems do not readily allow for grey areas where the morality of an action is questionable. They are, rather, systems which are based upon absolutes absolute principles and absolute conclusions. In real life, however, moral questions more often involve grey areas than absolute black & white choices. We typically have conflicting duties, interests, and issues that make things difficult.

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Another common criticism of deontological ethical theories is the question of just which duties qualify as those which we should all follow, regardless of the consequences. Duties which might have been valid in the 18th century are not necessarily valid now, but who is to say which ones should be abandoned and which are still valid? And if any are to be abandoned, how can we say that they really were moral duties back in the 18th century?

If these were duties created by God, how can they possibly stop being duties today? Many attempts to develop deontological systems focus on explaining how and why certain duties are valid at any time or at all times and how we can know that. Religious believers are often in the difficult position of trying to explain what believers of the past treated certain duties as objective, absolute ethical requirements created by God but today they aren't today we have different absolute, objective ethical requirements created by God. These are all reasons why irreligious atheists rarely subscribe to deontological ethical systems, though it can't be denied that they can at times have ethical insights to offer.

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Existentialism
A little bit from the history
-Founded by 19th century philosophers Sren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche. -Other existentialist philosophers include Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de

Beauvoir and (absurdist) Albert Camus. Fyodor Dostoevsky and Franz Kafka

Forerunners of existentialism include

-Buddha's teachings -Saint Augustine in his Confessions, -Mulla Sadra's transcendent theosophy, -William Shakespeare's Hamlet, -Blaise Pascal's Penses, which examined "nothingness", not just in science, but with regard to the human condition. -Voltaire's Candide -Henry David Thoreau's Walden

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What is Existentialism?
-Analysis of existence and of the way humans find themselves existing in the world. -Concerned with finding self and the meaning of life through free will, choice, and personal responsibility.

Underlying Concept Regarding Existentialism

-Human free will -Human nature is chosen through life choices -A person is best when struggling against their individual nature, fighting for life -Decisions are not without stress and consequences -There are things that are not rational -Personal responsibility and discipline is crucial

It doesnt support these

-wealth, pleasure, or honor makes the good life -social values and structure control the individual to accept what is and that is enough -science can and will make everything better

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-people are basically good but ruined by society or external forces -I want my way, now! or It is not my fault! mentality

Something to add on
In this world, people are searching to find out whom and what they are throughout life as they make choices based on their experiences, beliefs, and outlook. Under normal circumstances, choices are unique without the

necessity of an objective form of truth. An existentialist believes that a person should be forced to choose and be responsible without the help of laws, ethnic rules, or traditions. There are a few themes underlying this concept: The first theme will be the freedom and the necessity to choose. To be an existing human being means to be free. In contrast with most everything else in the world, a human being is not determined by laws of nature. The human being has a unique freedom to determine his or her own behavior. Freedom of choice is what youve got. Freedom from choice is what you want. The second theme is self-deception and authenticity. To hide from the knowledge of our freedom and pass off our responsibility onto other people, ideas or institutions as if they can take care of our anxiety and absurdity is to engage in bad faith, exist as a human being means to be willing to take up

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the challenge of ones freedom. There is no exit by which we could get ourselves off the hook. The last theme will be the individual and they. The demand for authenticity also has a social and a political dimension. Some existentialists have been extremely individualistic, while some have been involved in liberation movements. Again, consider Sartre: his comment that, hell is other people is for example, they say one should always floss before bedtime who is they, really, and who is one? Where is the actual person? On the other hand, Buber argued that authentic existence was impossible without a serious relationship with other persons.

In short
-People are searching to find out whom and what they are throughout life as they make choices based on their experiences, beliefs, and outlook. And choices are unique without the necessity of an objective form of truth. -An existentialist believes that a person should be forced to choose and be responsible without the help of laws, ethnic rules, or traditions.

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Conclusion We have seen two philosophical theories out of the many theories that have been proposed. Everyone is entitled to their choice of either accepting or rejecting a theory proposed to them. There are people that very much condemn this whole notion, and call it unintelligent. However, it is left to the individual what he chooses to believe in, and to which norms he conforms, nevertheless, the consideration of existentialism is in no way futile. It is best to first look at something with an open mind and not be prejudiced. We have to use our common sense and experience to debate and subsequently form an opinion of a certain philosophical theory. Only then, can we truly say that we accept or reject it.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

http://atheism.about.com/od/ethicalsystems/a/Deontological.htm plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-deontological/ www.allaboutphilosophy.org/existansialism.htm www.fresian.com/existent.htm www.thecry.com/existansialism.htm Apps.tpta.org/courses/Ethics03/deontological_theory.htm

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