How is act utilitarianism defined?

How is act utilitarianism defined?

• A. An act is morally right if it conforms to a rule that promotes happiness.
• B. An act is morally right if it follows social norms.
• C. An act is morally right if it leads to the best consequences for the general happiness.
• D. An act is morally right regardless of consequences.

Answer: (D)

Act utilitarianism judges the morality of an action by its consequences, aiming to maximize overall happiness or welfare in that situation. The idea is to pick the action that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number, based on what happens if you perform it right there and then. This focus on outcomes distinguishes it from rule utilitarianism (rightness comes from following rules that tend to promote happiness), from judgments based on social norms, and from moral theories that deem actions right or wrong regardless of consequences (deontological approaches). So the statement that an act is morally right if it leads to the best consequences for general happiness captures the core idea.

Act utilitarianism judges the morality of an action by its consequences, aiming to maximize overall happiness or welfare in that situation. The idea is to pick the action that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number, based on what happens if you perform it right there and then. This focus on outcomes distinguishes it from rule utilitarianism (rightness comes from following rules that tend to promote happiness), from judgments based on social norms, and from moral theories that deem actions right or wrong regardless of consequences (deontological approaches). So the statement that an act is morally right if it leads to the best consequences for general happiness captures the core idea.