Why might a utilitarian think that expected consequences are what matter to utilitarian evaluation instead of actual?
A) If we could go back in time to change things, we would change acts based on their actual consequences because what happens is all we care about.
B) Our inability to know all the actual consequences of an act would make knowing right from wrong impossible.
C) The purpose of utilitarianism is to evaluate acts by consequences, not serve as a decision-making procedure.
D) The only purpose of utilitarian theory is to specify the conditions under which an act is right or wrong.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism focuses on the outcomes of actions to determine their moral worth. Since it's impossible to know all actual consequences of an act beforehand, utilitarians rely on expected consequences as a practical measure to guide decision-making. This approach acknowledges human limitations in predicting outcomes, making moral evaluation feasible.

Why Might a Utilitarian Think That Expected Consequences Are What