1. Act and rule Utilitarianism
Learning objective:
To understand the difference between act and rule utilitarianism
To begin to evaluate Mill’s developments of Bentham’s theory
Key Words
Rule utilitarianism
Act utilitarianism

2. What do you remember about John Stuart Mill?
Pupils to annotate using IWB – choose next volunteer – everyone to write one thing, could also use post-its and a volunteer to summarise and feed back to rest of class
Said Bentham had too easy a life
Eg of sadistic guard
Type of pleasure matters
Qualitative not quantitative
Body pleasures lesser than mind pleasures
Pig quote

3. Act New situations are treated as different from all others.
Act versus rule
Rule An action is right if it follows the rules. Rules are universal and if applied would lead to the greatest happiness for the greatest number.
Act New situations are treated as different from all others.
Where do Bentham and Mill belong?

4. Read your handout - page 43-44
In your notes, in your own words, explain the difference between act and rule utilitarianism and state the main thinker associated with each theory.
Identify one strength and three weaknesses of act utilitarianism using examples.
3. Describe one way in which rule utilitarianism is an improvement on act utilitarianism.

5. Mill believed it was too hard to measure the happiness produced by every act and that the term ‘happiness’ was not specific enough because it covered too many types of satisfaction. Mill suggested humans have worked out through trial and error those actions which lead best to human happiness, which they promote through moral rules, which he termed ‘secondary principles’: do not lie, protect the weak, keep your promises. Rather than performing the act that will lead to the greatest happiness, we should follow rules that, if everyone followed them, would lead to the most overall happiness.

6. Benefits of Rule Utilitarianism...
It means that there are some acts that cannot be justified just because they fulfil the utility principle, for example, when they are unfair on a minority
It considers and takes into account other ‘goods’ such as education, artistic talents and justice, that are worthwhile in themselves, not just as a means to happiness
Rules that promote justice protect human well-being.
‘Only a society that allows diversity can allow individual talents to flourish, and Mill was aware that the rule of the majority can frustrate this.’
Ensure you have summarised three benefits in your own words

7. Act vs. rule utilitarianism
Which do you think is better? Discuss in pairs.

8. Strong & Weak Rule Utilitarianism
Strong rule utilitarianism
There are certain agreed rules which have instrumental value for creating the most happiness for the majority, and should therefore always be kept.
Weak rule utilitarianism
- We should follow the rules that generally create the most happiness for the majority, but there are circumstances in which it would be better to allow for exceptions (e.g. perhaps in some situations it may be acceptable to break a rule and tell a lie).

9. Which do you think is a better theory: strong rule utilitarianism or weak rule utilitarianism?

10. A big problem with Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism was that the majority could exert pressure on the minority. To address this issue Mill introduced the Harm Principle. The harm principle states that the only reason that you can limit a person’s freedom, against their will, is to prevent harm to others.

11. Apply the harm principle to the following...
Using drugs
Selling drugs
Prostitution
Suicide
Polygamy
The harm principle states that the only reason that you can limit a person’s freedom, against their will, is to prevent harm to others.

12. Homework
1. Produce an A4 revision sheet detailing the key features of Bentham and Mill’s ethical theories.
You might include:
Key features of Bentham and Mill’s theories
Act and rule
Strong and weak rule utilitarianism
Key quotes
Key terms with definitions
Helpful images
2. Continuing reading the ‘Utilitarianism Notes’ found on the DLS.