Introducing Variable-Rate Rule-Utilitarianism

Bibliographic Data

ID10691547
AuthorsMartin Ridge (0000-0003-0915-7285, University of Edinburgh, corresponding author), Michael Ridge
Year2006
Volume56
Issue223
Pages242-253
Publication date2006-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Philosophical Quarterly (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0031-8094 • E-ISSN: 1467-9213
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-9213.2006.00440.x
OpenAlexW1991135682
LanguageEN
Citations received29

The basic idea of rule‐utilitarianism is that right action should be defined in terms of what would be required by rules which would maximize either actual or expected utility if those rules gained general acceptance, or perhaps general compliance. Rule‐utilitarians face a dilemma. They must characterize ‘general acceptance’ either as 100% acceptance, or as something less. On the first horn of the dilemma, rule‐utilitarianism is vulnerable to the charge of utopianism; on the second, it is open to the charge of arbitrariness and lack of philosophical depth. I press this objection, and develop and defend an alternative version of rule‐utilitarianism which can evade the dilemma. I call this new version ‘variable‐rate rule‐utilitarianism’

Action (physics) · Dilemma · Economics · Epistemology · Face (sociological concept) · Law and economics · Linguistics · Mathematical economics · Prisoner's dilemma · Utilitarianism · Variable (mathematics) · Mathematics · Philosophy · Political Philosophy and Ethics