The institutional affiliation
Before considering the question whether utilitarianism is the greatest good, one should know what exactly it is. Utilitarianism supposes removing morality from something external in terms of social benefits necessary to meet the material and spiritual needs of people. Mainly, it goes about the desire to expand social benefits without referring to the question of how the individual is going to enjoy these benefits. According to the principle, the moral activity is justified when it leads to achieving the biggest happiness for most people (Mill, 1863).
Utilitarianism is quite a controversial theory. It is necessary to understand which actions are wrong and which ones are right (Schroth, 2015). The brightest example is a situation in a hospital when after an examination a doctor makes a conclusion that a patient is healthy, but is a perfect donor for several dying people. Utilitarian theory provokes the doctor to make a wrong diagnosis for saving lives of others, and that is a wrong action. Every person has the right to live and nobody should deprive him/her of this right.
Utilitarianism is in some cases manifestation of maximization. The theory has an inadequate understanding of what human rights and dignity are. Thus, according to it, people should think first of all of what is good for others and only then about themselves (Knight, 2014). Let’s consider another situation in the hospital. A person would inevitably die, but there is an option to give him/her some additional time to live. For the nearest sustaining life of the dying person is a way to be close to him/her as long as it is possible, though it is monetary non-profitable. In such a situation analyzing costs and benefits is something that bears the character of simple calculation, not compassion or valuation of a human life and utilitarianism implies doctors to act for the profit of majority.
Thus, utilitarianism is a theory that implies well-being for everybody, but that does not take into account interests of a single person.
References
Knight, W. (2014). Utilitarianism and the Moral Life by J. P. Moreland. WINTERY KNIGHT. Retrieved 6 July 2015, from http://winteryknight.com/2014/08/25/utilitarianism-and-the-moral-life-by-j-p-moreland/
Mill, J. (1863). Utilitarianism (1st ed.). Retrieved 6 July 2015, from http://www.utilitarianism.com/mill1.htm
Schroth, J. (2015). Distributive Justice and Welfarism in Utilitarianism (Jörg Schroth). Joergschroth.de. Retrieved 6 July 2015, from http://joergschroth.de/texte/disjus.html#conclusion
