Act Utilitarianism: Act utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of individual actions. According to act utilitarianism, an action is morally right if it produces the greatest overall happiness or utility for the greatest number of people affected by that specific action. Each action is evaluated independently, and the moral worth of the action is determined solely by its consequences in terms of happiness or utility. Act utilitarianism requires considering the specific circumstances and potential outcomes of each action.
Rule Utilitarianism: Rule utilitarianism, on the other hand, looks at the consequences of following general rules or principles of conduct. Instead of evaluating each individual action, rule utilitarianism assesses the moral worth of rules or principles based on their overall utility. According to rule utilitarianism, an action is morally right if it follows a rule that, when consistently applied, leads to the greatest overall happiness or utility for the affected individuals. Rule utilitarianism focuses on the long-term consequences of adopting and following certain rules, considering their general impact on society.
In summary, act utilitarianism determines the moral worth of individual actions based on their specific consequences, while rule utilitarianism assesses the moral worth of rules or principles based on their overall consequences when followed consistently.