Question

Using the moral criteria of adequacy, evaluate act-utilitarianism.

Answer 1

According to the criteria of adequacy for moral theories;

(1) consistency with considered moral judgments,

(2) consistency with our experience of the moral life, and

(3) workability in real-life situations.

Act utilitarianism is a utilitarian theory of ethics which states that a person's act is morally right if and only if it produces the best possible results in that specific situation hence it may be workable for the majority of the people in life for whom it is producing the best possible results. It can be consistent with the considered moral judgments of utilitarianism. The plausible moral theories must be consistent with our experience of the moral life but it may not be true at the time with utilitarianism as while considering the good of the majority we may compromise the good of the minority according to the utilitarianism.