One of the most serious objections to utilitarianism is that it may justify the imposition of great suffering on a few people in order to benefit a great many of people.

Utilitarianism is based on the idea of maximizing the overall happiness or well-being of the greatest number of people. This means that in some cases, utilitarianism may suggest sacrificing the well-being of a few individuals for the sake of the greater good. This has been a major criticism of utilitarianism, as it seems to imply that the ends justify the means, even if those means involve causing harm or suffering to some people.