Which statement accurately explains deontology?

• A. It emphasizes the outcome of actions.
• B. It focuses on social approval to judge rightness.
• C. It determines that actions are right or wrong based on their right-making characteristics.
• D. It allows deception if beneficial.

Answer: (C)

Deontology judges morality by the inherent nature of an action—its duties and the rules it follows—rather than by what happens as a result. In this view, an act is right or wrong because of its right-making characteristics, such as whether it follows a moral rule, fulfills a duty, or respects the dignity of persons. This explains why the correct statement fits best: it says actions are right or wrong based on their right-making characteristics, capturing the emphasis on acting out of duty or according to universal moral rules.

To contrast briefly, evaluating outcomes focuses on consequences, which is the hallmark of consequentialist theories like utilitarianism. Judging rightness by social approval relies on norms or consensus rather than fixed duties. Allowing deception if it’s beneficial conflicts with the deontological commitment to truth-telling and following duties, which generally holds that some actions are inherently impermissible regardless of outcomes.