Rule utilitarianism promises the best of both worlds — the reliability of rules with the point of a rule intact. Smart’s charge is that it cannot keep the promise: refine a rule enough and it becomes act utilitarianism, refuse to refine and you are worshipping the rule. Build the code yourself and find out where the sweet spot is. Then switch modes and run a decision that has not happened yet.
The evidence you have
The caseA patient in front of you, a decision that has to be made now. The standard therapy has a long trial record. The new therapy might be better, and the evidence on it is thinner — drag the slider to set what the evidence actually supports.
Probability the new therapy works
55%
Choose one, then treat the patient
What your code is worth
Good outcomes the code captures52
How often following the code produces the best available result.
Internalizability100
Whether ordinary people, with ordinary memory and motivation, could actually learn and live by it. Hooker’s decisive variable.
Expected value of the code52
Four promises — what does your code say?
Expected value, and what actually happened
Nothing has happened yet.Pick an option and treat a patient. Expected value tells you what to choose; it does not tell you what you will get.