Act utilitarianism: criterion of rightness vs. decision procedure

Abstract

This article discusses the distinction between a criterion of rightness and a decision procedure, highlighting that act utilitarianism is best thought of as a criterion of rightness and not a decision procedure. Using the utilitarian criterion as a decision procedure can often lead to suboptimal outcomes. Therefore, it is argued that the utilitarian criterion of rightness should not be directly used as a decision procedure, but rather as an evaluative backdrop for deliberating about “large-scale” decisions with significant impact. For everyday tasks, simpler maxims and heuristics are more appropriate. – AI-generated abstract.