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 How is Confucian ethics different from consequentialism and deontology?

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 How is Confucian ethics different from consequentialism and deontology?

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Universality of Moral Determination/Degree of Morality

Within the ideologies of deontology and consequentialism, there is a universality of the morals applied to actions and their consequences. These actions and consequences are then examined against these all-encompassing values in order to determine their morality. However, in Confucianism, there is no such ethical rubric. Instead, one is required to consider the context within which the action was performed as well as the parties involved. The morality of a choice is then specific to a situation. For example, stealing from a store while others were also stealing from it may be less morally reprehensible than if one decided to do it without the presence of others. The relationship between people involved is also considered when determining the morality of a decision. For instance, one might consider the morality of an action performed by a family member differently than they would one committed by a stranger. Additionally, one must consider the intentions that prompted the action. One might consider stealing less ethically wrong if the person involved was starving and needed money for food than if someone else without such a dire reason had committed the crime.

In this way, Confucianism calls for much more analysis of the situation surrounding an action in order to determine morality as compared to deontology and consequentialism that analyze the action or its consequences against a strict set of ethical codes.

What the Theories Call For

While deontology and consequentialism call for the consideration of certain ethical values when making decisions in order to be a moral person, Confucianism prompts one to become a super person (morally but not egotistically) via self-cultivation.

Confucianism calls on one to improve themselves rather than to improve their decisions.

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Reflect on the sheep story: When you found out that your father took the sheep on the sly, what would you do? Report him to the authorities, or cover for him? Why?

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Reflect on the sheep story: When you found out that your father took the sheep on the sly, what would you do? Report him to the authorities, or cover for him? Why?

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There are a couple of angles from which one can approach this situation. According to the ideals of deontology and consequentialism, I should consider my father as I would a stranger when determining how to respond to him taking a sheep. From this perspective, I would most likely report him to the authorities. In this situation, the universal code of ethics I am following are those outlined by the law. Within said rules, stealing is forbidden. Thus, the stipulated form of action would be to turn my father over to the police to be arrested for his crimes and later sentenced a form of punishment as a consequence of his actions.

However, if I were to analyze this scenario through the lens of Confucian ethics, I would consider the personal relationship I have with my father. Instead of reporting him to the police, I might first confront him for his actions. Regardless of his response to the confrontation, I would likely cover for him as we are family.

I would side with the latter option (Confucian).

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Deontology: https://opinionfront.com/explanation-of-deontology-with-examples

Consequentialism:  https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/consequentialism

Sheep: https://www.ciwf.org.uk/farm-animals/sheep/

Father: https://www.viacharacter.org/topics/articles/my-father-as-a-kaleidoscope-of-character-strengths

Confucianism: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Confucianism

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What do deontology and consequentialism have in common in terms of how you treat yourself, those you love, and strangers?

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What do deontology and consequentialism have in common in terms of how you treat yourself, those you love, and strangers?

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Morality Does Not Change with Change in Party

While deontology focuses on the action itself, determining the morality via examination of the choice against a universal set of ethics/moral principles, consequentialist theory assesses the morality of an act/decision through its resulting consequences. One specific example of consequentialism, utilitarianism, attributes an action’s morality to the amount of happiness granted to a number of people as a result of the decision. With these definitions in mind, the two ethical theories display a shared aspect of equality in their assessments. While deontology features a universal set of moral principles against which the act is examined, consequentialism considers the interests of all parties affected to be equal. In this respect, both ideologies would assess decisions concerning/affecting oneself, loved ones, and strangers in the same manner. Thus, within the theories, the morality of a choice would not fluctuate with a change in the parties considered, implying a universal morality.