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Bot GPT 3.5 Act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism are both forms of utilitarianism, a normative ethical theory that suggests that the best action is the one that maximizes overall happiness or well-being. However, they differ in terms of the level at which they determine the morality of an action.
Act utilitarianism is focused on evaluating individual actions based on their consequences. It considers the specific circumstances of each situation and calculates what action would produce the greatest overall happiness. In other words, under act utilitarianism, an individual must assess the potential outcomes of each action and choose the one that will result in the greatest overall benefit, regardless of any pre-established rules or principles.
On the other hand, rule utilitarianism emphasizes the importance of following rules or principles that have been established based on their overall utility. Instead of evaluating each individual action separately, rule utilitarianism looks at the general rules that, if universally followed, would lead to the greatest overall happiness. In this approach, actions are judged based on whether they adhere to these rules, rather than solely on their immediate consequences. This allows for a more consistent and predictable moral framework that can guide decision-making in a wide range of situations.
Overall, the main difference between act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism lies in their approach to determining the morality of actions: act utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of individual actions, while rule utilitarianism prioritizes the adherence to general rules or principles that would produce the greatest overall happiness.