Bentham & Kant
Bentham Both Kant
Teleological, consequentialist, rel- Cognitivist Deontological, non-consequential-
ativist, a posteriori, naturalist ist, absolutist, a priori, non-natu-
ralist
The end justifies the means Both respect human life The end does not justify the
means
Motivated for pleasure + avoid Both have absolute commands Good is good will
pain (pleasure + pain) - categorical im-
perative
Things are not intrinsically right or Opposed to legalism Acts are intrinsically right or wrong
wrong
Naturalist as it observes pain and Innate human reasoning - happi-
pleasure and established morality ness is not guaranteed
from these
People can be used for the People cannot be used as an end
‘greater good’ (consequentialist) for exploitation - cannot use the
minority for the majority
Any act can be done as long as it Some acts cannot be done e.g.
produces the greatest good for promise breaking or refusing t
the greatest number help others (universalisability prin-
ciple)
Provides law to achieve right/ Provides principles to aid right/
wrong wrong
Although there are some similar
aspects, the fact cannot be es-
caped that Kant focuses on act
and Bentham on outcome
Bentham Both Kant
Teleological, consequentialist, rel- Cognitivist Deontological, non-consequential-
ativist, a posteriori, naturalist ist, absolutist, a priori, non-natu-
ralist
The end justifies the means Both respect human life The end does not justify the
means
Motivated for pleasure + avoid Both have absolute commands Good is good will
pain (pleasure + pain) - categorical im-
perative
Things are not intrinsically right or Opposed to legalism Acts are intrinsically right or wrong
wrong
Naturalist as it observes pain and Innate human reasoning - happi-
pleasure and established morality ness is not guaranteed
from these
People can be used for the People cannot be used as an end
‘greater good’ (consequentialist) for exploitation - cannot use the
minority for the majority
Any act can be done as long as it Some acts cannot be done e.g.
produces the greatest good for promise breaking or refusing t
the greatest number help others (universalisability prin-
ciple)
Provides law to achieve right/ Provides principles to aid right/
wrong wrong
Although there are some similar
aspects, the fact cannot be es-
caped that Kant focuses on act
and Bentham on outcome
