Final answer:
The utilitarian approach is focused on maximizing happiness for the greatest number of people, rather than the best long-term interests of an individual, making the statement false.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that utilitarian approach is guided by what will result in the individual's best long-term interests is false. Utilitarianism, founded by Jeremy Bentham and further developed by John Stuart Mill, is a consequentialist theory in moral philosophy that states actions are deemed right if they tend to promote happiness and wrong if they produce the reverse of happiness. This approach is concerned with maximizing happiness for the greatest number of people, not just the individual's long-term interests.
Utilitarianism is anchored on the principle of utility, often summarized by the phrase "the greatest happiness for the greatest number." Therefore, the morality of an action is determined by its outcomes and the degree to which it maximizes overall happiness. Utilitarians argue that we act morally when our actions produce the greatest happiness without giving preference to some individuals' or groups' happiness over others. For instance, in public policy, governments regularly employ cost-benefit analysis based on utilitarian principles to make decisions that aim to enhance the well-being of society as a whole.
As such, the utilitarian approach transcends individual interests and seeks the best outcome for the greatest number involved. Utilitarianism emphasizes aggregated well-being rather than solely focusing on what might be in one's own personal long-term interest.