Aristotle believed that the central goal of all people was happiness. He believed that the drive for happiness motivated everyone, especially in the realm of ethics. Aristotle held that the result of ethical choices was happiness. As a result, he believed that people undertake the pursuit of philosophy and ethics to improve their lives and living a more enriching life. According to Aristotle, the goal of good ethics is not the good that comes from them but the way those ethics improve you and make your life better.
Teleological ethics is the ethical belief that the ends can justify the means. This is an outcome-based ethical theory. According to teleological theory, you should approach every ethical decision with your goal in mind, regardless of the methods you have to use to reach the goal. For instance, you sit down for lunch with a friend who, while emotionally distraught after seeing her relationship fall apart that morning, asks you if she looks all right. Teleological ethics suggest that your goal of supporting her and helping her should be more important than your desire to be honest with her. Therefore, teleological ethics would tell you to lie to her or say anything you need in order to help her work through her pain.
Utilitarianism, as defined by John Stuart Mill in 1863, was a goal-based ethical theory. It established a principle that stated that you should judge your actions based on what result will provide the greatest good to the greatest number of people. As an example, you may face a utilitarian opportunity when you see an older lady struggling to place a large box in the back of her car. You weigh the potential good of helping her with her box against the potential loss of a minute of your time. You should arrive as an evaluation of her need being much greater than your loss and make your way to her to help.
Hedonism is the goal-based ethical theory that suggests all human motivation extends from either, mental or physical, pleasure or pain. Hedonism extends from the idea that human sensibility, or the information gained and understood through the senses as meant at the time the idea was popular, was an honest means of interpreting good things. For instance, you find a friend whom you enjoy spending time with, or with whom you find pleasure, and choose to keep him as a friend by treating him well, or giving him pleasure.