— J.S. Mill
| Act Utilitarianism | Rule Utilitarianism | |-------------------|---------------------| | Evaluate each act individually | Follow rules that maximize utility generally | | Context-dependent | Creates stable expectations | | Computationally intensive | Practically efficient |
This manual is designed for someone who wants to apply utilitarian principles (maximizing overall happiness and reducing suffering) to daily decisions, policy thinking, or ethical dilemmas.
A common pitfall is the "Moral Saint" problem. If you spend every waking second agonizing over utility, you will burn out and become useless.
Utilitarian's Manual [ PRO ]
— J.S. Mill
| Act Utilitarianism | Rule Utilitarianism | |-------------------|---------------------| | Evaluate each act individually | Follow rules that maximize utility generally | | Context-dependent | Creates stable expectations | | Computationally intensive | Practically efficient | utilitarian's manual
This manual is designed for someone who wants to apply utilitarian principles (maximizing overall happiness and reducing suffering) to daily decisions, policy thinking, or ethical dilemmas. utilitarian's manual
A common pitfall is the "Moral Saint" problem. If you spend every waking second agonizing over utility, you will burn out and become useless. utilitarian's manual
