What does "deontology" mean?
Synonym of ethics (“the study of principles relating to right and wrong conduct”).
Deontology
/ˌdiːɒnˈtɒləd͡ʒi/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Synonym of ethics (“the study of principles relating to right and wrong conduct”).
- Grammar: deontology is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: casuistry, empiricism, golden rule, hedonism.
- Useful contrasts: utilitarian philosophy, bentham, utilitarianism.
- Usage evidence: [Matthew Hale] was no reformer: nothing better than an expounder: every thing stated by him was stated as he found it, or conceived it to be: no inquiries as to what it ought to be: in the eyes of lawyers—not to speak of the dupes—that is to say, as yet, the generality of non-lawyers—the is and the ought to be (or, as in Greek it would be so much better—the το ον and the το δεον, from which last, Ethics has received the more expressive name of Deontology), were one and indivisible.
How to use "deontology"
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Meaning check
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Source and review context
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Definition decision workflow
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 Synonym of ethics (“the study of principles relating to right and wrong conduct”). uncountable, usually
"[Matthew Hale] was no reformer: nothing better than an expounder: every thing stated by him was stated as he found it, or conceived it to be: no inquiries as to what it ought to be: in the eyes of lawyers—not to speak of the dupes—that is to say, as yet, the generality of non-lawyers—the is and the ought to be (or, as in Greek it would be so much better—the το ον and the το δεον, from which last, Ethics has received the more expressive name of Deontology), were one and indivisible."
- 2 Synonym of ethics (“the study of principles relating to right and wrong conduct”).; The normative ethical theory that the morality of an action is based on whether the action follows certain obligations or rules, rather than on its inherent goodness, consequences, etc. specifically, uncountable, usually
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"[Matthew Hale] was no reformer: nothing better than an expounder: every thing stated by him was stated as he found it, or conceived it to be: no inquiries as to what it ought to be: in the eyes of lawyers—not to speak of the dupes—that is to say, as yet, the generality of non-lawyers—the is and the ought to be (or, as in Greek it would be so much better—the το ον and the το δεον, from which last, Ethics has received the more expressive name of Deontology), were one and indivisible."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "deontology"?
Common synonyms include: casuistry, empiricism, golden rule, hedonism, stoicism.
How do you use "deontology" in a sentence?
[Matthew Hale] was no reformer: nothing better than an expounder: every thing stated by him was stated as he found it, or conceived it to be: no inquiries as to what it ought to be: in the eyes of lawyers—not to speak of the dupes—that is to say, as yet, the generality of non-lawyers—the is and the ought to be (or, as in Greek it would be so much better—the το ον and the το δεον, from which last, Ethics has received the more expressive name of Deontology), were one and indivisible.
How do you pronounce "deontology"?
Pronounced /ˌdiːɒnˈtɒləd͡ʒi/.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *deh₁- Ancient Greek δέω (déō) Ancient Greek δεῖ (deî)lbor. Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- Ancient Greek λόγος (lógos) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek -λογῐ́ᾱ (-logĭ́ā)bor. Latin -logialbor. French -logiebor. English -logy English deontology Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek δέον (déon, “that which is binding, needful, proper, or right”) + English -ology (variant of -logy (suffix denoting a branch of learning or a study of a particular subject)). Δέον (Déon) is the neuter present participle of δεῖ (deî, “it behoves one to, it is necessary to, one must”), from δέω (déō, “to bind, tie; to fasten; to fetter”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deh₁- (“to bind”). Noun sense 1 (“synonym of ethics”) was coined by the English philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) to refer to censorial or dicastic ethics (ethics based on judgment), while noun sense 1.1 (“normative ethical theory that the morality of an action should be based on whether the action follows certain obligations or rules”) derives from the use of the word deontological by the English philosopher Charlie Dunbar Broad (1887–1971) in his book Five Types of Ethical Theory (1930).