Consequentialism

Consequentialism refers to those moral theories that hold that the consequences of a particular action form the basis for any valid moral judgment about that action. Thus, on a consequentialist account, a morally right action is an action which produces good consequences. More formally, consequentialism refers to those moral theories which hold that consequences are more important than any other normative criteria. Consequentialism is usually understood as distinct from deontological ethics, which emphasizes the type of action instead of its consequences, and virtue ethics, which focuses on the character and motivations of the agent.