Morality, Utilitarianism, and Rights

Abstract

This collection of essays in ethics primarily defends forms of rule-utilitarianism, which claims that morally right action is determined by a rule whose acceptance in society would maximize long-range expectable utility. The work argues that this view is able to overcome many objections that have been raised against act-utilitarianism. The essays consider the relationship of rule-utilitarianism to such topics as the concept of a moral right, moral excuses, the morality of suicide, and the nature of virtue. They also explore the implications of a rule-utilitarian perspective for the criminal law and for public policy. – AI-generated abstract