Rule Utilitarianism Flashcards
What is the core idea of Rule Utilitarianism?
Rule Utilitarianism holds that an action is morally right if it conforms to a rule that maximizes happiness, rather than evaluating each individual action separately based on its consequences.
How does Rule Utilitarianism differ from Act Utilitarianism?
Rule Utilitarianism focuses on following rules that maximize happiness, while Act Utilitarianism assesses each action based on its immediate consequences for maximizing happiness.
What is the criterion for determining the goodness of an action in Rule Utilitarianism?
In Rule Utilitarianism, the goodness of an action is determined by whether it adheres to a rule that, when consistently followed, maximizes overall happiness.
What is the distinction between strong and weak Rule Utilitarianism?
Strong Rule Utilitarianism advocates strict adherence to rules regardless of the situation, while Weak Rule Utilitarianism allows for exceptions to the rules if breaking them maximizes happiness.
Provide an example illustrating the difference between strong and weak Rule Utilitarianism.
In a scenario where breaking a promise would result in greater overall happiness, Strong Rule Utilitarianism would demand that the promise be kept regardless, while Weak Rule Utilitarianism would allow breaking the promise if it maximizes happiness.
What is a common criticism leveled against Strong Rule Utilitarianism?
Strong Rule Utilitarianism is typically criticised
Strong Rule Utilitarianism is often criticized for devolving into a deontological theory, abandoning the principle of utility and consequentialism, and following rules without sufficient justification.
How does Strong Rule Utilitarianism risk becoming deontological?
Strong Rule Utilitarianism is typically criticised
Strong Rule Utilitarianism may become deontological by advocating strict adherence to rules regardless of the consequences, resembling deontological theories that prioritize duties or rules independent of their outcomes.
What is the concern regarding the abandonment of the principle of utility in Strong Rule Utilitarianism?
Strong Rule Utilitarianism is typically criticised
Critics argue that by prioritizing rule-following over the principle of utility, Strong Rule Utilitarianism loses its grounding in consequentialism and fails to maximize overall happiness, undermining its original meta-ethical basis.
Why do critics view Strong Rule Utilitarianism as an empty deontological theory?
Strong Rule Utilitarianism is typically criticised
Critics perceive Strong Rule Utilitarianism as empty because it prioritizes rule-following without adequately considering the consequences, thereby resembling deontological theories that lack a consequentialist rationale.
How does the criticism of Strong Rule Utilitarianism relate to its supposed meta-ethical grounding?
Strong Rule Utilitarianism is typically criticised
Critics argue that Strong Rule Utilitarianism strays from its supposed meta-ethical grounding in the principle of utility by emphasizing rule-following over the maximization of happiness, ultimately undermining its foundational consequentialist principles.
What common criticism is directed towards Weak Rule Utilitarianism?
Weak Rule Utilitarianism is typically criticised
Weak Rule Utilitarianism is often criticized for effectively reducing into Act Utilitarianism, as both approaches would judge every action the same in certain situations.
How does Weak Rule Utilitarianism risk resembling Act Utilitarianism?
Weak Rule Utilitarianism is typically criticised
Weak Rule Utilitarianism may resemble Act Utilitarianism because, in certain situations, both approaches would recommend the same course of action regardless of whether it involves following or breaking a rule.
What example illustrates how Weak Rule Utilitarianism may reduce into Act Utilitarianism?
Weak Rule Utilitarianism is typically criticised
In a scenario where both telling the truth and lying maximize happiness, both Act Utilitarianism and Weak Rule Utilitarianism would recommend the same action, regardless of the presence of a rule against lying.
Why is the reduction of Weak Rule Utilitarianism into Act Utilitarianism problematic?
Weak Rule Utilitarianism is typically criticised
The reduction of Weak Rule Utilitarianism into Act Utilitarianism undermines the distinction between the two approaches, rendering the concept of rule-following in Weak Rule Utilitarianism redundant or irrelevant.
What does the criticism of Weak Rule Utilitarianism imply about its effectiveness as a moral theory?
Weak Rule Utilitarianism is typically criticised
The criticism implies that Weak Rule Utilitarianism may fail to provide a meaningful alternative to Act Utilitarianism, as both approaches would yield identical moral judgments in many situations, potentially diminishing the utility of adopting a rule-based approach.
