What are the differences between act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism, and can you provide examples of each in practice?

Act utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of individual actions to determine what is morally right, while rule utilitarianism emphasizes following rules that lead to the greatest overall happiness.

An example of act utilitarianism would be a doctor deciding to save the life of a patient in critical condition, even if it means breaking hospital rules.

On the other hand, an example of rule utilitarianism would be a society adopting a rule that prohibits stealing, as following this rule generally leads to greater overall happiness even if there are occasional exceptions where stealing might seem justified.