Utilitarianism, primarily developed by philosophers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, is a consequentialist ethical theory. This means the morality of an action is judged solely by its outcomes or consequences, rather than by inherent rules or duties. The core doctrine of Mill's Utilitarianism is often summarized as "the greatest good for the greatest number." An action is considered ethically correct and justified if it maximizes overall happiness, utility, or benefit, and minimizes harm, suffering, or cost for the majority of stakeholders involved. In engineering and technology, utilitarianism is frequently applied through cost-benefit analyses, risk assessments, and environmental impact studies, where professionals must weigh the potential benefits of a project (e.g., economic growth, improved infrastructure) against its potential harms (e.g., environmental degradation, community displacement) to determine the most ethically sound course of action that optimizes overall societal welfare.