Deontology and Immanuel Kant
I can explain a deontological outlook on ethical decision-making using the work of Immanuel Kant as an example.
Deontology and Immanuel Kant
I can explain a deontological outlook on ethical decision-making using the work of Immanuel Kant as an example.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Deontology means we should act in ways that could be good rules for everyone, like always telling the truth.
- Deontology means intentions are more important than results; doing something because it’s right is what counts.
- Deontology encourages us to think about what’s right for everyone, not just what benefits us personally.
- Kant's deontology teaches that doing the right thing means following certain duties or rules, no matter the outcome.
- Kantian ethics can be criticised in a number of ways, e.g., it ignores acting on the basis of certain motives.
Keywords
Deontology - a way of thinking about ethics that focuses on following principles or duties to make good choices
Duty - something you should do because it’s the right thing, like telling the truth or keeping a promise
Ethics - the study of right and wrong
Immanuel Kant - an 18th-century philosopher who believed that doing the right thing means following important rules or principles, no matter what
Common misconception
Kant's deontology means that actions such as killing are always wrong.
The categorical imperative doesn’t mean the same in every situation because it takes the context into account, e.g., killing is generally wrong it can be justified where the intention is to protect life.
To help you plan your year 8 religious education lesson on: Deontology and Immanuel Kant, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 religious education lesson on: Deontology and Immanuel Kant, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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Explore more key stage 3 religious education lessons from the Ethics: how do we know what is 'good'? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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