Apply act-utilitarianism and rule-utilitarianism in resolving the following mora

Question

Apply act-utilitarianism and rule-utilitarianism in resolving the following moral problems. Do the two versions of utilitarianism lead to the same or different answers to the problems?

George had a bad reaction to an illegal drug he accepted from friends at a party. He calls in sick the day after, and when he returns to work the following day he looks ill. His supervisor asks him why he is not feeling well. [s it morally permissible for George to lie by telling his supervisor that he had a bad reaction to some medicine his doctor prescribed for him?

Explanation / Answer

IN CASE OF ACT UTILITARIANISM THE PERSON TRIES TO DO AN ACT THAT WILL BRING IN MAXIMUM UTILITY GIVING BEST OVERALL RESULT. AND FOR THIS ONE SHOULD ANYTHING POSSIBLE.

RULE UTILITARIANISM TAKES TWO STEPS FIRST IT SAYS THAT AN ACTION IS JUSTIFIED IF IT CONFIRMS MORAL RULE AND THE INCLUSION OF THIS RULE INTO OUR OWN SET OF MORAL RULES WILL PRODUCE MORE WELL BEING FOR US. THUS RULE UTILITARIANISM TRIES TO MAKE SET OF RULE FOR BETTER JUDGMENT BECAUSE HUMAN BEINGS DIFFER IN THEIR LEVEL OF JUDGMENT OF WHAT IS GOOD OR BAD.

SO IF GEORGE GOES BY THE ACT UTILITARIANISM HE WILL TELL THE LIE OF A BAD REACTION FROM DOCTOR MEDICINE TO GAIN SYMPATHY AND MIGHT EVEN GET A DAYS OFF.

IN CASE OF RULE PART HE WILL SEE THAT TELLING THE TRUTH IS A GOOD RULE, HE WILL MATCH IT AGAINST OTHER SET OF RULES. SO HE WILL FOLLOW THE MORAL RULES. GEORGE WILL SAY THE TRUTH EVEN IF IT GETS LESS UTILITY.

THUS IN BOTH THE CASES THE ANSWERS WILL BE DIFFERENT.

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