Philosophy / Unit 7 Philosophy 0283 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Rule Utilitarianism
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The idea
Rule utilitarianism: follow the rules whose general adoption maximizes happiness—even when breaking a rule would score better in the single case.
In practice
A no-harvesting rule beats case-by-case surgery arithmetic: hospitals people fear to enter make everyone worse off.
Where people slip
The dilemma: keep a rule when breaking it helps, and you worship rules; break it, and you are back to act-by-act.
Your place on the trail
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Builds on
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