Which of the following is one of the three principles of ethical decision making as described by Krogstand and Robertson?

• A. The egoistic principle
• B. The golden mean principle
• C. The utilitarian principle
• D. The ethical principle

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is judging actions by their consequences to maximize overall welfare. The utilitarian principle does exactly that: it evaluates what you should do based on the outcomes and aims to produce the greatest good for the greatest number. In practice, this means weighing benefits and harms to everyone affected and choosing the option that yields the best balance for overall welfare.

For example, in a criminal justice setting, a decision guided by utilitarian reasoning might favor interventions that reduce total harm in the community, even if some individuals face inconvenience or lesser penalties, because the overall welfare is maximized.

The egoistic principle would prioritize self-interest, not overall welfare. The golden mean is a virtue-ethics idea about balance in character traits rather than a consequences-focused rule. The vague “ethical principle” label doesn’t specify a clear framework like utilitarianism does.