Mar 24, 2026 Seoyeon Kim sites.psu.edu Among the most influential ethical theories in philosophy, utilitarianism and deontology stand out because they answer the same question in fundamentally different ways. Both attempt to explain how human beings ought to act, yet they begin from different assumptions about morality itself. Utilitarianism asks what action will produce the best overall consequences. Deontology asks what action is right in itself, regardless of the outcome.