Utilitarianism is a consequentialist ethical theory that aims to maximize the overall utility or benefit of the greatest number of people. This can be accomplished through the evaluation and assessment of outcomes and their relative benefits or detriments upon society. Utilitarianism is based on three primary principles: (1) pleasure and pain are measurable values, (2) actions should be judged in terms of their consequences, and (3) all persons should count equally when evaluating an action’s morality.

The key premise behind utilitarianism’s notion of the moral good is that it seeks to bring about “the greatest happiness for the greatest number” (1). In other words, decisions should not just be made based on what would provide immediate value to one individual but rather how it would affect everyone as a whole. This means weighing the potential gains against any negative impacts involved with taking such an action before making a decision. The goal then is both for individuals and society at large to gain more pleasure than pain as a result of any particular moral judgment.