Utilitarian ethics uses which primary criterion for morality?

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The central idea is that morality in utilitarian ethics is judged by the consequences of our actions. The right action is the one that maximizes overall happiness or welfare and minimizes suffering for the greatest number of people. This makes it a form of consequentialism—the value of what you do rests on the results, not on the act’s intention or on following a fixed rule. So an action with good motives can be morally wrong if its outcomes are worse overall, while an action with less noble motives could be right if it leads to better overall consequences. This emphasis on outcomes distinguishes utilitarianism from deontological ethics, which prioritize duties and rules, and from virtue ethics, which focus on character and intention. Social approval isn’t the defining standard; it may align with good consequences, but it isn’t the moral criterion itself.