A type of moral philosophy that focuses on duties, rules, and principles, saying that some actions are right or wrong in themselves, no matter what the consequences are.
From Greek *deon* meaning 'duty, what must be done' and *-logia* ('study of'). The term was popularized in the 19th century to describe rule-based approaches to ethics.
Deontology flips the usual 'results first' thinking: even if lying would save you trouble, the rule 'don’t lie' still wins. It’s the philosophy behind many everyday ideas like 'a promise is a promise' and human rights that must not be broken.
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