Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Practice Test

The main idea here is how utility is achieved by following general rules rather than judging each action on its own. Mill argues that freedom of expression tends to maximize happiness in the long run because open debate helps uncover truth, correct errors, and promote social progress. Treating speech as a general rule—allowing most expressions and resisting censorship—creates a better overall outcome for society than constantly evaluating or suppressing each statement. That focus on the long-term benefits of a governing rule about expression is what aligns his view with rule utilitarianism.

If you thought in terms of judging each individual utterance by its immediate consequences, you’d be looking at act utilitarianism, which Mill does not center in his defense of free speech. Preference utilitarianism would emphasize meeting people’s stated preferences, which isn’t the framework Mill uses here, and ideal utilitarianism isn’t the fit either, since the justification rests on practical rules that maximize overall welfare rather than on abstract ideal ends.