Consequentialism and deontology are two of the most prominent ethical theories in Western philosophy. Both have roots in ancient Greek philosophy, but their modern formulations can be traced back to the 17th and 18th centuries.
Consequentialism, which holds that the morality of an action is determined by its consequences, has its origins in the work of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, who developed utilitarianism in the 19th century. Utilitarianism holds that actions should be evaluated based on the amount of pleasure or happiness they produce for the greatest number of people. Early utilitarianism focused on quantitative measures of happiness, such as pleasure and pain, but contemporary consequentialism has expanded to include more nuanced measures of well-being, such as autonomy and justice.
Deontology, which holds that the morality of an action is determined by its adherence to a moral rule or principle,....
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