Utility is best described as a framework focused on?

• A. Fairness and rights
• B. Maximizing overall happiness
• C. Do no harm
• D. Individual autonomy

Answer: (B)

Utility in this context is an outcome-focused measure that evaluates actions by their effect on overall well-being. In utilitarian thinking, the guiding principle is to maximize the net happiness or welfare for the greatest number of people. That’s why the option about maximizing overall happiness is the best fit: it directly captures the aim of utility to produce the greatest total good.

The other ideas represent different ethical emphases. Fairness and rights center on justice and respecting individuals, do no harm aligns with non-maleficence in bioethics, and individual autonomy emphasizes personal freedom. While important in other frameworks, they do not describe the utility framework’s primary focus on the consequences and overall happiness produced by an action.