 Two @-@ level utilitarianism is virtually a synthesis of the opposing doctrines of act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism . Act utilitarianism states that in all cases the morally right action is the one which produces the most pleasure , whereas rule utilitarianism states that the morally right action is the one that is in accordance with a moral rule whose general observance would create the most happiness . In terms of two @-@ level utilitarianism , act utilitarianism can be likened to the ' critical ' level of moral thinking , and rule utilitarianism to the ' intuitive ' level . 
