Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is the ethical theory that all actions should be directed toward achieving the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. This objection is also considered the aim of all legislation and is the ultimate criterion of all social institutions. Philosopher John Mill responds to an objection about Utilitarianism in the text. The object is that utilitarians are moralists.They believe that a person is judged by their actions and not by their character. For example, if a person is accused of doing something morally wrong, like committing a crime, but then the person’s charact