ian philosophy to specific actions, and it is often even more difficult to develop a consensus of the parties concerned as to the validity of a utilitarian evaluation.
The type of utilitarian philosophy described above is referred to as act utilitarianism (Sidgwick, 1946). Act utilitarianism is differentiated from rule utilitarianism, in which types of actions lead to general rules. Under rule utilitarianism, actions are evaluated within the context of general rules, as opposed to their own specific outcomes (Farrar, 1958). The Alaska oil spill of 1989 may also be used to distinguish between act and rule utilitarianism. Within the context of act utilitarianism, the actions of those responsible for the oil tanker Valdez would be evaluated within the context of the outcomes of the oil spill in Prince William Sound. Within the context of rule utilitarianism, however, the outcomes associated with the event would be considered with respect to the general rule which permitted the transport of crude oil through P
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