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Explore the key ideas of rule utilitarianism. -8 marks
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Explore the key ideas of rule utilitarianism. -8marks
Mill’s rule utilitarianism shares common ground with act
utilitarianism; both forms are based on the Principle of
Utility which says to always act so as to produce the
greatest happiness for the greatest number. This
means that rule utilitarianism is also concerned with
teleological ethics (consequentialism). The link between
act and consequence is most important when making
moral decisions for a utilitarian. Every act is relative
and is judged to be good or bad based on the result it
produces, so actions are extrinsically or instrumentally
good.
Rule Utilitarians argue that rules and moral
education are necessary to bring people to the point
where they are capable of rational moral decision
making. General rules are established that everyone
should follow to bring about the greatest good for the
community. We must obey the rule, even if it does not
result in the best for the individual, because it will
consequentially result in the best outcome for the
majority.
However, Mill was troubled by three key aspects of
Bentham’s act utilitarianism; first, categorising all
pleasures as being of equal value, “pushpin is of equal
value with the arts and sciences of music and
poetry” .Mill said that the principle of utility recognises
that some kinds of pleasure are more valuable than
others and this is shown in his quote, “It is better to be
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