6.1 Medical Ethics

Question 1

personhood link to medical ethics

Answer 1

• central to many ethical debates as in our society it is morally wrong to kill a person, but not morally wrong if we kill a non person
• if we feel a foetus is more than a potential person, we may feel abortion is allowable, if not we may question is morality

Question 2

sancity of life (religious)

Answer 2

• life is always valuable, even within suffering
• Peter Singer rejects sancity of life arguments, by arguing that they’re absolutist + dependent on outdates christian views of ethics

Question 3

quality of life (Singer/Glove)

Answer 3

• if suffering outweighs the benefits, then ending life can be justified

Question 4

beginning of life: status of the embryo

Answer 4

• life of the embryo debates, does it start at conception or the moment of birth
• law states that research and testing on embryos can only take place 14 days after fertilisation

Question 5

why do we need to create embryos?

Answer 5

• embryonic stem sell research is a valuable tool in the search for genetic illnesses such as parkinsons
• couples can use IVF
• doctors able to check for genetic conditions which may exist within a family

Question 6

religious perspectives on embryo research

Answer 6

• NML rejects as it involves procreation outside a loving relationship as an attempt to create humans another way, failure to worship god and undermines the stability of society
• in catholic teachings, donations of tissue/organs is encouraged. so is the therapeutic use of stem cells as long as it doesn’t destroy embryonic life. but, destroying an embryo os equivalent to murder within Catholic teachings

Question 7

abortion in uk

Answer 7

-1967 abortion act states abortion is legal foe upper to 24 weeks, if the mothers of life is at risk

Question 8

religious views on abortion

Answer 8

majority are against it as:
- only god has the right to decide when a person die
- each person has an eternal soul which should be protected
- life is god-given

Question 9

freedom/pro-choice argument

Answer 9

• pro choice -> the argument about who should decide those who support argue that a woman should be free to decide wether to have an abortion
• the foetus is apart of a woman’s body, until capable of independent life so the woman has the right to decide

Question 10

argument for abortion

Answer 10

• woman’s rights & bodily autonomy
• personhood + status of the foetus (foetus lacks personhood esp in early stages)
• practical and compassionate considerations (eg rape)

Question 11

arguments against abortion

Answer 11

• NML
• quality of life
• destroying an embryo seen as killing human life

Question 12

end of life: euthanasia

Answer 12

• euthanasia refers to the international ending of a persons life to relieve suffering, using in cases of terminal illnesses or unbearable pain

Question 13

voluntary euthanasia

Answer 13

the patient explicitly choosing to die (eg assisted dying)

Question 14

non-volutary euthanasia

Answer 14

the patient cannot consent and the decision is made by others (friends/family)

Question 15

involuntary euthanasia

Answer 15

the patient does not consent and is unauthorised against their will, widely considered as murder

Question 16

active euthanasia

Answer 16

a deliberate act to end a patients life

Question 17

passive euthanasia

Answer 17

withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatment (eg turning off a ventilator)

Question 18

moral debate on active/passive euthanasia

Answer 18

some argue passive euthanasia is more acceptable as it lets nature take its course, whilst some see some see no moral difference

Question 19

arguments in favour of euthanasia

Answer 19

• autonomy + right to die
• quality of life > sanity of life
• regulation/dignified death

Question 20

arguments against euthanasia

Answer 20

• sanctity of life
• slippery slope argument
• medical ethics/palliative care argument