The view that actions or inactions that have more negative outcomes than positive are morally wrong and if they have more positive outcomes than negative then they are morally right.

• rule utilitarianism

• categorical imperative

• consequentialism

• act utilitarianism

Believes that the action that produces the most utility/happiness would be the morally right action:

• Bernard Williams

• Jeremy Bentham

• J.J.C. Smart

• John Stuart Mill

The view that the morally right action is the action that produces the most good.

• contradiction of concepts

• categorical imperative

• principle of utility

• foreseeable consequence utilitarians

A style of ethics that defines actions as right (what we ought to do) or wrong (what we ought not to do) based on rules.

• utilitarianism

• rule utilitarianism

• deontology

• categorical imperative

Evaluates moral rightness or wrongness of an action based on what can be reasonably predicted.

• rule utilitarian

• foreseeable consequence utilitarian

• deontologist

• actual consequence utilitarian

A form of consequentialism which evaluates the moral rightness or wrongness of an act based on whether the outcome of that act harms or benefits more people.

• utilitarianism

• consequentialism

• principle of utility

• deontology

The belief that the action that produces the most utility/happiness would be the morally right action.

• utilitarianism

• rule utilitarianism

• actual consequence utilitarianism

• act utilitarianism

Argues that one's action can be rationalized to distinguish a situation that is either based actual consequence utilitarians or foreseeable consequence utilitarians.

• John Stuart Mill

• Jeremy Bentham

• J.J.C. Smart

• Bernard Williams

British Philosopher who provided a critique of utilitarianism:

• Bernard Williams

• Jeremy Bentham

• J.J.C. Smart

• John Stuart Mill

Evaluates the moral rightness or wrongness of an act based on the real outcomes of the act.

• rule utilitarians

• actual consequence utilitarians

• foreseeable consequence utilitarians

• act utilitarians