Final answer:
Utilitarian thinking is used by governments to maximize happiness for the most people, typically evaluated through cost-benefit analysis. However, it can justify morally questionable actions if they serve the greater good, such as undermining the judiciary for social peace.
Step-by-step explanation:
Governments often use utilitarian thinking to determine the proper course of action because it allows them to evaluate policies in terms of their overall consequences, aiming to maximize happiness or utility for the greatest number of people. This is done through methods such as cost-benefit analysis, where all costs and benefits of a policy are considered, and if the benefits exceed the costs, the policy is seen to enhance utility and is therefore adopted. However, utilitarianism has its disadvantages, one notable one being that it can justify actions that conflict with personal or societal moral standards. For example, act utilitarianism might support actions that could lead to a greater good but may also undermine trust in systems like the judiciary if it means sentencing an innocent person to prevent riots.