Ethics and Values / Unit 4 Ethics 179 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Collapse Problem
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The idea
The collapse problem: when breaking a good rule would maximize happiness, rule utilitarianism either allows the break — becoming act utilitarianism — or forbids it, serving rules instead of happiness.
In practice
If this one merciful lie truly does most good, why keep the rule? Every answer betrays one utilitarian commitment or the other.
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