Which ethical theory focuses on the consequences of actions to determine moral rightness?

Understand the Problem

The question is asking to identify which ethical theory evaluates the morality of actions based on their outcomes or consequences. This will involve understanding the definitions and principles of different ethical theories mentioned in the options.

More Information

Consequentialism focuses on the outcomes or consequences of actions to determine their moral rightness, contrasting with other ethical theories like deontology, which focuses on rules, or virtue ethics, which emphasizes character and virtues.

Tips

A common mistake is confusing consequentialism with deontology or virtue ethics, which concentrate on moral rules and character, respectively.

Sources

• Consequentialism - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy - plato.stanford.edu
• Utilitarianism - Ethics Unwrapped - University of Texas at Austin - ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu