Which theory asserts that the rightness of actions is determined partly or entirely by their intrinsic value?

• A. Deontology
• B. Utilitarianism
• C. Consequentialism
• D. Moral realism

Answer: (A)

This question tests whether morality is grounded in the action’s own value rather than its outcomes. Deontology holds that the rightness of an action comes from its intrinsic moral properties—whether it follows a duty or a binding moral rule—so the action has moral worth in itself, independent of what it produces. That focus on the action’s inherent nature fits the idea that rightness is determined partly or entirely by intrinsic value.

By contrast, utilitarianism and other forms of consequentialism judge rightness by the consequences of an action, not by the action’s intrinsic qualities. Moral realism is about the existence of moral facts, not specifically about whether actions themselves have intrinsic value.