Final answer:
Ross thought classic utilitarianism and deontology oversimplified morality by reducing it to single principles and failing to address the complexity of moral obligations and the need for judgment in scenarios with competing duties like truth-telling versus preventing harm.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sir William David Ross criticized classic utilitarianism and deontology for their oversimplified view of morality. Ross argued that these theories reduced complex moral situations to a single principle—such as the greatest happiness principle of John Stuart Mill or the categorical imperative of Immanuel Kant—thereby neglecting the multifaceted nature of moral experience and decision-making. He introduced the concept of prima facie duties, which are not absolute, to rectify this oversimplification. Competing duties, like the choice between telling the truth and preventing harm, demonstrate the need to weigh and rank duties rather than following one overarching moral rule. Ross's approach integrates a more nuanced understanding of moral obligations, recognizing that judgment plays an essential role in moral life, especially in situations with multiple relevant prima facie duties.