20+ Differences Between Act Utilitarianism And Rule Utilitarianism (Explained)

The subject of philosophy is baffling to the extent that there is often a conflict between two propositions, even though both propositions advocate what is good and what is bad. Right and wrong have always been twins who win and lose on various different timelines.

However, when it starts to blur the line between certain philosophical constructs, it becomes an essential task for us to revisit them to quote the two separate constructs in a correct manner. Thus, this article will discuss the subject of utilitarianism at large, specifically, the thin line of difference between act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism.

Table of Contents

Comparison Between Act Utilitarianism And Rule Utilitarianism

Parameters	Act Utilitarianism	Rule Utilitarianism
Intent	Individuals who adhere to utilitarianism are more prone to carry out an activity without contemplating its repercussions.	Individuals who adhere to the utilitarian rule are less inclined to carry out an activity without first considering its repercussions.
Theory	Those who adhere to utilitarianism think about what will eventually benefit a broad group rather than a small group whom the action would marginally impact.	While acting according to the utilitarian rule, individuals take into account both the moral code of ethics that has been conveyed and the immediate outcome of the act they are required to perform.
Rights	By utilitarianism, they will act in the interests of the bigger group of people if anything dubious needs to be done. It damages the immediate group of people but saves a greater group of people.	By the utilitarian principle, people will behave in the best interests of the individuals whose dubious decisions will directly impact if they save the wider group of individuals while hurting the immediate group of individuals.
Judgment	The ultimate effects of one’s acts are not taken into account by those who practice utilitarianism while determining whether or not to carry out a particular deed.	Utilitarians are more prone to consider the long-term effects of every decision they make and how those decisions will influence other people.
Action	Individuals who adhere to utilitarianism typically carry out their actions without considering any potential consequences.	Utilitarians are accustomed to considering the implications of every action they choose to do and are more prone to consider the immediate ramifications of their decisions.
Morality	Since it otherwise plays the role of bringing a greater amount of happiness by disobeying a moral code of ethics, a particular person who believes in the act of utilitarianism decides the morality of the act they are considering committing by evaluating its impact on a larger group of people rather than by adhering to a moral code of ethics.	The morality of the action that a specific utilitarian is considering taking must be by the moral code of ethics, which is the only source for determining what leads to higher pleasure, rather than depending on human intelligence. It implies that the greatest happiness may be had if the moral code of ethics is upheld.
Consequences	The final effects of an action are what ultimately determine whether or not that action was good or evil, say those who adhere to utilitarianism.	Those who adhere to the utilitarian philosophy think that the rules that are observed when doing an act determine whether it is good or bad.

The Contrast Between Act Utilitarianism And Rule Utilitarianism

What exactly is Act Utilitarianism?

People who follow the act of utilitarianism operate primarily by considering the rights of a larger group of people rather than a smaller segment or an individual’s rights.

Thus, if something questionable is to be done and it affects the immediate group of people but saves a larger group, they will act based on the interests of the larger group.

In this situation, if you are the driver of a trolley and the tracks are colliding with another trolley, by an act of utilitarianism, you would be ready to put the President of the country (if he was the only person in your trolley) in danger if it meant saving a trolley full of people.

Act Utilitarianism:

People are not likely to think about the consequences of such an action before committing to acting on it.

The element of intent in the construct in relation to acting utilitarianism is not dominant.

The act utilitarianism construct considers what would amount to the ultimate good for a large group of people.

The construct in relation to acting utilitarianism does not consider individual rights.

The construct in relation to acting utilitarianism is not in line with a moral code of ethics.

What exactly is Rule Utilitarianism?

People who follow the rule of utilitarianism operate primarily by considering the rights of an individual. Thus, if something questionable is to be done and it affects the immediate group but saves the larger group, they will act based on the interests of the people immediately affected by such actions, i.e., individual rights.

In this situation, if you are the driver of a trolley and the tracks are colliding with another trolley, you would follow the proper code of conduct and save the President of the country (if he was the only person in your trolley) and not think about whether such an act affects the trolley full of people and puts them in danger of a horrible accident.

Rule Utilitarianism:

People are likely to think about the consequences of such an action before committing to acting on it.

The element of intent in the construct in relation to rule utilitarianism is dominant.

The construct of rule utilitarianism considers the factor regarding what are the immediate effects of such action.

The construct in relation to rule utilitarianism considers individual rights more than anything else.

The construct of rule utilitarianism aligns with a properly established moral code of ethics.

Major Differences Between Act Utilitarianism And Rule Utilitarianism

Intent:

Act Utilitarianism: The particular people who adhere to the act of utilitarianism are the people who are most likely to take an offensive action without thinking about the consequences of such an action, which is not always considered to be a good thing.

Rule Utilitarianism: The particular people who adhere to the rule of utilitarianism are considered to be the people who are not that likely to follow through with a possibly offensive action without thinking about the consequences of such an action.

Theory:

Act Utilitarianism: The particular people who adhere to the act of utilitarianism operate by considering what action would be ultimately good for a large group of people rather than a small group of people who are mildly affected by such action.

Rule Utilitarianism: The particular people who adhere to the rule of utilitarianism operate by considering what is the moral code of ethics that has been communicated and what is the immediate effect of the act they are compelled to commit.

Rights:

Act Utilitarianism: People who follow the act of utilitarianism operate by considering the rights of a larger group of people, i.e., if something questionable is to be done and it affects the immediate group of people but saves a larger group of people, by act utilitarianism, they will act based on the interests of the larger group of people.

Rule Utilitarianism: People who follow the rule of utilitarianism operate by considering the rights of an individual, i.e., if something questionable is to be done and it affects the immediate group of people but saves the larger group of people, by rule utilitarianism, they will act based on the interests of the people who are immediately affected by such actions, i.e., individual rights.

Judgment:

Act Utilitarianism: The particular people who adhere to the act of utilitarianism do not take into consideration the ultimate consequences of their actions while deciding whether to perform such an act or not.

Rule Utilitarianism: The particular people who adhere to the rule of utilitarianism are more likely to think and ponder upon the consequences of every action they take and how such actions will affect people in the long run.

Action:

Act Utilitarianism: The particular people who adhere to the act of utilitarianism are the ones who are usually prone to performing the particular act without thinking about any consequences of such an action as such.

Rule Utilitarianism: The particular people who adhere to the rule of utilitarianism are the ones who are usually used to thinking about the consequences of every action they decide to take and are more likely to think about the immediate effects of the actions they ultimately take.

Morality:

Act Utilitarianism: According to the people who follow the act of utilitarianism, the morality of the act they are considering committing is decided by measuring its impact on a larger group of people rather than by following a moral code of ethics since it otherwise plays the role of bringing a more significant amount of happiness by defying a moral code of ethics.

Rule Utilitarianism: According to the people who follow the rule of utilitarianism, the morality of the act they are considering committing needs to mandatorily be aligned with the prescribed moral code of ethics, which is the only book to determine what brings greater happiness than relying on the human intellect. It suggests that if the moral code of ethics is followed, the greatest happiness can be achieved.

Consequences:

Act Utilitarianism: According to the particular group of people who adhere to the act of utilitarianism, the ultimate consequences of the act that is committed are the main ingredients that are considered to be responsible for determining whether such an action is good or bad.

Rule Utilitarianism: According to the particular group of people who adhere to the rule of utilitarianism, the fact that whether such an act was good or bad depends on the rules that had or had not been followed while committing such an act.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the key difference between the two constructs of act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism?

The key difference between the two constructs of act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism depends on the morality factor between the two.

In this context, act utilitarianism states that morality should be counted on a larger basis based on the more significant consequences of such acts. On the other hand, the construct of rule utilitarianism focuses on individual rights.

Q2. What follows a more human approach between the two constructs of act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism?

In a philosophical sense, both constructs have their own separate significance.

However, in a real-world scenario, choosing to follow the construct of act utilitarianism has often proven to be easier than letting a hundred people die by colliding with their trolley and saving a sole person.

Q3. What construct is more moral in nature, act utilitarianism or rule utilitarianism?

In a philosophical sense, both constructs are moral in nature and follow the principles of morality very significantly.

However, there is no concrete method of determining which construct is more moral than the other since the two are just ideas given by moral philosophers of their own distinct