Answer: B) Utilitarianism cannot account for individual rights and moral rules

Tue, 05 May 2026 04:00:13 +0000

**Why B) Utilitarianism cannot account for individual rights and moral rules — and what it means for your worldview** In an age dominated by data-driven decisions and rapid digital change, ethical frameworks underpin many of the choices we face — from policy debates to daily habits. One framework increasingly questioned in real-world applications is utilitarianism, a doctrine that measures actions by their overall benefit to the greatest number. But a growing conversation challenges this approach: can a system focused on collective outcomes truly protect individual rights and moral principles? Increasingly, experts and thinkers argue that utilitarianism, in its purest form, often falls short when it comes to recognizing dignity, autonomy, and fundamental human rights. This tension is no longer confined to philosophy classes. Across the United States, conversations in education, healthcare, artificial intelligence, and public policy are exposing the limits of utilitarian logic when applied to personal freedoms. At the heart of the debate: can “the good of the many” justify sacrificing individual rights or ethical rules that define personal identity and justice? Utilitarianism, at its core, promotes maximizing well-being through calculated outcomes. But when decisions prioritize aggregate happiness over personal autonomy, individual moral rights—such as privacy, conscience, or bodily integrity—can be overlooked. For example, a public policy designed to optimize economic growth might reduce protections for workers or limit access to care if deemed too costly, even if those measures cause direct harm to certain groups. Similarly, algorithms built on utilitarian logic may reinforce bias by overriding unique cultural or personal values in favor of statistically “optimal” outcomes.