Question

Aunt Edna Dilemma
Your Aunt Edna is dying and calls you to her bedside. She says that she has accumulated a small fortune that no one knows about. She would like for you to be the sole beneficiary of her estate so long as you promise her one thing: use the fortune to build a monument in her honor. She has the plans ready with a contractor and the entire fortune is budgeted for the statue except for $100,000, which will go to you if you agree to see to her wishes.
You ask if she wouldn’t rather give it charity, but she says no, she wants the statue. You see no reason why to deny your aunt her dying wish, plus you benefit from the deal, so you make the promise.
She passes away soon after and you inherit the fortune. Just as you are going to write the check to the contractor, the local children’s hospital calls… They hear you’ve come into some money! Overnight a fire destroyed most of the building and they need immediate funding to care for the displaced children. They also are begging for funds to help rebuild the hospital. Can you find it in your heart to help?
1. What would a Rule Utilitarian do?

Answer 1

Rule utilitarianism is the idea that one should perform the action that leads to the "greatest good". In the case of Aunt Edna, the greatest good would be served by assisting the children's hospital and the displaced children, going against the promise initially made to Aunt Edna. In theory, one would be doing a good thing by keeping a promise to build a statue but the money would be better served by helping people in need (serving the "greater good").