A theory that measures the morality of an action by its consequences is a

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Consequentialist theories judge actions by their outcomes, so the morality of an act is determined by the goodness or badness of its consequences.

1) Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Consequentialism: ethical view that the rightness of an action depends solely on its consequences (e.g., utilitarianism measures consequences in terms of overall happiness or welfare).
- Deontological ethics: judges actions by rules, duties, or intentions, independent of outcomes (e.g., “lying is wrong even if it produces good results”).
- Pragmatic approach: generally refers to practical problem-solving or belief-formation judged by usefulness, not a standard label for a primary moral theory.
- Prudential considerations: concern prudence or self-interest (what’s best for the agent), not a general moral theory that judges acts by societal consequences.

2) Step-by-step reasoning
- The question asks which theory measures morality by consequences. Identify the central feature: outcome-based moral evaluation.
- Match that feature to the options:
  a. Deontological — outcome-independent (rules/duties); does not measure morality by consequences.
  b. Pragmatic — relates to practical usefulness, not a standard moral theory assessing rightness of actions by consequences in the philosophical sense.
  c. Prudential — concerns practical self-interest; moral rightness is not primarily defined by communal consequences.
  d. Consequentialist — explicitly defines moral rightness in terms of consequences.

3) Calculations
- No numeric calculations are required; this is conceptual classification.

4) Why the correct answer is correct
- Consequentialist theory by definition measures morality by outcomes. Prominent consequentialists (e.g., utilitarians) evaluate actions according to the amount of good produced, aligning exactly with the prompt.

5) Why the other options are incorrect
- a. Deontological theory: focuses on duties/rules, not outcomes.
- b. Pragmatic theory: not the standard term for an ethical system that judges actions by consequences.
- c. Prudential theory: concerns the agent’s self-interest or prudence, not general moral evaluation by outcomes.

6) Conclusion
Therefore the correct choice is d. Consequentialist theory, which matches the provided answer.

A theory that measures the morality of an action by its consequences is a单项选择题

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