Deontological Ethics

The ethical tradition, developed in its most systematic form by Immanuel Kant, that grounds moral obligations in rational duties rather than in the consequences of actions or the cultivation of virtuous character. Kant's categorical imperative — act only according to principles you could will to become universal laws — is the foundational statement of deontological ethics. The tradition stands in contrast to consequentialism (which evaluates actions by their outcomes) and virtue ethics (which focuses on character traits), and it has shaped modern thinking about human rights, dignity, and the moral limits of political action.