We have discussed the three normative ethical theories in this class. Furthermore, you have been asked throughout the semester to utilize those theories to different ethical situations. In this essay, you are going to evaluate the three normative ethical theories: deontology, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics. I want you to discuss the strengths and weaknesses in each theory. Using different ethical dilemmas, discuss how each of these ethical theories might or might not work.
When faced with moral dilemmas, individuals can use these ethical theories to guide their decision-making. For example, if an individual is faced with a situation where they can either lie to protect someone they care about or tell the truth and potentially harm that person, a consequentialist may choose to lie if they believe it will result in the greatest overall good. A deontologist may choose to tell the truth regardless of the consequences, as they believe it is their moral duty to do so. A virtue ethicist may focus on developing the virtue of honesty and choose to tell the truth for its own sake regardless of the consequences.
I have provided examples of different ethical dilemmas you could use:
• The Privacy Dilemma: You discover that your friend is hiding information from their partner.