Deontological Ethical Theory In John Edwards

Being personally confronted with this request to lie from John Edwards has led me to a state of moral stress. If I allow myself to succumb to the pressure of this situation, I fear what kind of person I may become. Geuras and Garofalo (2011) state, “Those who submit become people without heart; not only does their sense of moral judgement atrophy but so do their feeling for others” (p.135). I know I do not want to become that kind of individual. Edwards wants an answer right away, but I must give this situation further consideration in order to consider the consequences of my actions and make the most appropriate decision. If I employ the teleological approach in my process, I can look at two options and arrive at two conclusions: lie and
If I subscribe to the deontological theory of thought, the answer is a resounding no! According to Geuras and Garofalo (2011), “...deontological ethical theory is one which maintains that the ethics of an action does not depend on the consequences, but upon an important feature of the act itself. ...that feature is the obedience of an action to a principle” (p. 53). In other words, if I lie for John Edwards, I violate an important principle that is more important than the good that lying
If I choose to follow the tenets of virtue theory, I will need to consider whether lying is “...good on the basis of the character trait or virtue that the act evidences” (Geuras and Garofalo, 2011, 59). My determination is that lying is not good; it manifests a lack of integrity and weakness of character. If I choose to lie and support Edward’s request, then I will be admitting that I am not a man of honor, and that I am unworthy of commanding respect. This will tarnish my reputation among my family, friends, and associates. I will be judged unworthy to hold positions of responsibility and will be scorned for my behavior. I would never trust a man who lies, and I expect most responsible members of society feel the same. However, if I choose to be honest in this situation, I will maintain my reputation and will be considered a man of honor. This will serve me well in all my future dealings with