Utilitarianism as brought about by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill indicates that an action is right or wrong based on the consequences of undertaking it. In this case, an action is regarded as being right if it presents the greatest happiness to those affected. The theory, therefore, focuses on the question of, ‘what should I do?’, with the answer being, that which will produce the best possible results.
In the presented case of the lady patient, a utilitarian doctor action would consider giving an answer that will put the patient in the best possible state for the surgery, and that would in this case not result into more complications. Telling the lady that her sons are dead is highly likely to result into greater emotional pain for the patient, as well as physical complication that may result from the shock and pain. The patient may, for example, become uncontrollable and anxious, have her blood pressure rise, or even get a heart attack among other complications. Such occurrences will not only affect the surgical procedure, but also put the life of the mother at greater risk. Based on this, it would be prudent to just assure the mother that all is well and avoid directly telling her that her sons are no more. Such an assurance, will in most cases, give her the strength to fight for her life, contrary to if she went into the surgery knowing that the children are gone. For a utilitarian, lying would be the right action.
As the mother, I would want an answer that also creates the best chance for my survival and successful surgery. I believe that hearing that my sons are okay is what I would want to hear before going into the surgery; hence, I support the utilitarian answer for the reason that at such a moment, I am not in the right state to receive such traumatizing news.
