Ethical theories that maintain that the moral rightness or wrongness of an action depends on its intrinsic qualities, and not (as in consequentialism ) on the nature of its consequences.
Deontological ethics holds that at least some acts are morally wrong in themselves (e.g., lying, breaking a promise, punishing the innocent, murder). It often finds expression in slogans such as "Duty for duty's sake." Deontological theories are often formulated in such a way that the rightness of an action consists in its conformity to a moral rule or command, such as "Do not bear false witness." The most important exponent of deontological ethics is categorical imperative .