Utilitarianism and Deontology.

1.
Utilitarianism is a consequence-oriented philosophy that says the best actions are those that produce the greatest good for the greatest number. It revolves around the concept of “the end justifies the means.” Utilitarianism is the view that any action is good if it leads to human happiness. ~ also known as “hedonism”.

The right action can be calculated by examining the probable consequences of the various course of action. Whichever is most likely to bring about the most happiness (or at least the greatest balance of happiness over unhappiness) is the right action.
( ~ maximizes pleasure and minimizes pain)

In your example, the speaker is more concerned with the consequence of killing people ~ “humans suffer” Whether such action (killing people) is morally right/wrong is irrelevant.

2.
Deontological (duty-based) ethics are concerned with what people do, not with the consequences of their actions. Under this form of ethics you can't justify an action by showing that it produced good consequences.

Deontologists believe that morality is a matter of duty. Duties are usually understood in terms of particular actions we must do or refrain from. It is the action that is right or wrong; it is not made right or wrong by its consequences. Duty-based ethics teaches that some acts are right or wrong because of the sorts of things they are, and people have a duty to act accordingly, regardless of the good or bad consequences that may be produced. Deontology maintains that the wrongness of the action (telling a lie) is intrinsic, or resides in the kind of action that it is, rather than the consequences it brings about. Morally correct actions are usually dictated by religious doctrines or ideas of “good and evil” are deeply entrenched in our mind due to our upbringing.

I think that it is morally wrong to tell a lie, even though the consequence of telling a lie in this case can bring happiness. It makes the speaker do what is in the best of his/her conscience.




2014-10-01 09:13:08 補充：
如果相反地心裡說, 不會口講出來

'I am going to lie because lying to you means using you for my own happiness:"
~ consequence-oriented, 不是 deontological

Well, 見無什麼人回答, 自己嘗試答
It may be a futile attempt by a layman.