Which statement describes rule-utilitarianism?

• A. The right action is determined by whether it conforms to a rule that, if followed consistently, would create the most beneficial balance of good over bad for everyone.
• B. The rightness of an action depends solely on the relative good produced by the action.
• C. Moral judgments are grounded in a social contract among individuals for mutual advantage.
• D. Right actions are those that conform to moral standards discerned in nature.

Answer: (B)

Rule-utilitarianism judges right actions by whether they conform to rules that, if generally followed, would produce the greatest overall good for everyone. It focuses on the long-run consequences of adopting a rule, not just the outcome of a single act. This is why it fits best: the morality of an action is tied to the rule it follows, not to the immediate good produced by that one action alone. The idea contrasts with the view that rightness depends solely on the good produced by the act itself, which describes act-utilitarianism. The other statements point to different theories—one to social contracts and mutual advantage, another to moral standards discerned in nature—so they don’t describe rule-utilitarianism.