Two-level utilitarianism

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Two-level utilitarianism is a utilitarian theory of ethics developed by R. M. Hare.[1] According to the theory, a person's moral decisions should be based on a set of moral rules, except in certain rare situations where it is more appropriate to engage in a 'critical' level of moral reasoning.

Consequentialists believe that an action is right if it produces the best possible state of affairs.[2] Traditional utilitarianism (act utilitarianism) treats this as a claim that people should try to ensure that their actions maximize overall happiness or pleasure.[3]

Two-level utilitarianism is virtually a synthesis of the opposing doctrines of act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. Act utilitarianism states that in all cases the morally right action is the one which produces the most happiness, whereas rule utilitarianism states that the morally right action is the one that is in accordance with a moral rule whose general observance would create the most happiness. In terms of two-level utilitarianism, act utilitarianism can be likened to the 'critical' level of moral thinking, while rule utilitarianism can be likened to the 'intuitive' level.[4]

  1. ^ McNaughton 1988, pp. 177
  2. ^ Beauchamp, Tom L. (1991). Philosophical ethics: an introduction to moral philosophy, (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw Hill, 130.
  3. ^ Mill, John Stuart. (1863). ‘Chapter 1’. In Utilitarianism. London: Longmans, Green and Company, 130.
  4. ^ Hare 1976, pp. 122–5