Final answer:
The criticism of Utilitarianism is that it oversimplifies moral decision-making by prioritizing actions that maximize happiness, but fails to address complex real-world moral dilemmas where multiple moral obligations conflict.
Step-by-step explanation:
A common criticism of Utilitarianism is that it offers an overly simplistic view of morality that doesn't align with our complex moral decision-making in practice. Utilitarianism, as formulated by Bentham and Mill, posits that the rightness of our actions is based solely on their consequences, specifically, the production of happiness or utility. Critics like Sir William David Ross argue that this focus on a single principle, such as the greatest happiness or Mill's principle of utility, fails to capture the full spectrum of our moral experiences.
Dilemmas involving competing duties illustrate the shortcomings of strict utilitarian approaches. For instance, should one lie to protect a neighbor from harm, or follow the utilitarian rule that promotes the greatest happiness, which may, in some cases, discourage lying? Such scenarios suggest that morality can be far more nuanced than Utilitarianism accounts for, involving a balance between different moral rules and the complexities of real-world situations.