Deontology, in simple words, is the moral philosophy that judges an act as moral or good based on the intentions of the individual committing the act and the duties the person is obligated to uphold.

Unlike utilitarianism, in which the justification for an action is decided by whether the action would bring the greatest happiness/welfare for the most people or society, in deontology, whether an action is moral is evaluated by the nature of the action, not its consequences.

Kant's deontological philosophy stemmed from his belief that humans possess the ability to reason and understand universal moral laws that they can apply in all situations. Unlike many other ethical theories, deontology does not focus on the consequences of individual actions[2].

Examples of Deontological Ethics A very simple and easy example of deontology in action is the fact that it is wrong to kill. Murder breaks both act deontology and rule deontology, as it is against the law (and religious laws) and is also simply an immoral act when viewed in a particular situation.