Question

If a legislature enacted a law that made it illegal to shout "fire" in a movie theater, would the dominant ethical character of the law be rule-based or consequence-based reasoning?

Answer 1

This is both consequence based reasoning and rule based reasoning. It is consequence based reasoning on the grounds that there is no benefit that will originate from shouting fire in a motion picture theater if there is no fire. It is rule based reasoning since they are infringing upon the real law that a lawmaking body authorized by yelling fire in a film theater.