Which ethical framework emphasizes following moral rules and duties rather than outcomes?

• A. Consequentialism
• B. Virtue ethics
• C. Relativism
• D. Deontology

Answer: (D)

This item tests understanding of deontology, which judges actions by whether they follow moral rules and duties rather than by the outcomes they produce. In this view, certain duties—like telling the truth, keeping promises, and respecting others’ rights—are binding regardless of what consequences might ensue. The idea is that rightness comes from the action’s alignment with a duty or law, not from a calculation of good or bad results. Kant popularized this approach with the notion that we should act according to maxims we could consistently will as universal laws, treating people as ends in themselves.

So, the framework that emphasizes following moral rules and duties over outcomes is deontology. By contrast, consequentialism evaluates actions by their results, virtue ethics centers on character and what a virtuous person would do, and relativism ties morality to cultural or personal norms rather than universal duties.