A Dilemma for Objective Act-Utilitarianism

Gerald Lang

Politics, Philosophy & Economics, 2004, vol. 3, issue 2, 221-239

Abstract: Act-utilitarianism comes in two standard varieties: ‘subjective’ act-utilitarianism, which tells agents to attempt to maximize utility directly, and ‘objective’ act-utilitarianism, which permits agents to use non-utilitarian decision-making procedures. This article argues that objective actutilitarianism is exposed to a dilemma. On one horn of it is the contention that objective act-utilitarianism makes inconsistent claims about the rightness of acts. On the other horn of it is the contention that objective act-utilitarianism collapses back into what is, essentially, subjective act-utilitarianism. Three objective act-utilitarian responses to this dilemma are explored and rejected. The recommended conclusion is that a consistent utilitarian must either embrace subjective act-utilitarianism, or abandon act-utilitarianism altogether.

Date: 2004
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:pophec:v:3:y:2004:i:2:p:221-239

DOI: 10.1177/1470594X04042966

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