Applied ethics- EUTHANASIA Flashcards
Define suicide
A person dies as a direct result of their voluntary actions
Define assisted suicide
A person dies as a result of their voluntary actions with the help of another person
Define physician aided suicide
A person dies as a result of their voluntary actions with help of a doctor or physician
Define physician aid in dying
a person’s death is hastened but not directly caused by the aid of a doctor or physician (eg medication)
Define voluntary euthanasia
a person’s death is directly caused by another person at their request with their consent
Define Passive euthanasia
Life- sustaining treatment in withdrawn, indirectly causing death
Define non-voluntary euthanasia
A person’s life is ended medically without their consent, but consent is given by someone representing their interests
What act makes suicide illegal in the UK?
1961 Suicide act
What argument (similar to abortion) is possible to apply to physician aid in dying?
Slippery slope argument
Sanctity of life arguments
- Life is set apart by God
- Life is a gift from God
- An innocent life is always to be respected
- Life is always to be loved and protected
Key quote for sanctity of life (GENESIS 1:27)
‘God created human kind in his image’
Key quote for sanctity of life (JOHN 1:14)
’ the Word became flesh and lived among us’
Key quote for sanctity of life (JOB 1:21)
‘The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away’
Key quote for sanctity of life (EXODUS 20:13)
‘You shall not murder’
Define strong sanctity of life
The belief that human life is always valuable from the moment of conception until natural death, without any exceptions
Define weak sanctity of life
Killing an innocent person out of love is not equal to murder
Considers exceptions to the sanctity of life principle
No one has a duty top endure extreme pain
Life is a gift, not a burden
What did Peter Singer suggest instead of the sanctity of life principle?
Rethinking Life and Death (1994)
The worth of human life varies
Take responsibility for the consequences of your decisions
Respect a person’s desire to live or die
Bring children into the world only if they are wanted
Do not discriminate on the basis of species
Give a controversial quote from Peter Singer ( about the Baby Doe case in the US)
‘If we compare a severely defective human infant with a nonhuman animal, a dog or a pig, for example, we will often find the non-human to have superior capacities’
What is the total happiness judgement?
If you add up all happiness like a sum, and the person has no quality of life, there sum can longer increase and therefore they have no reason to continue living
What is the average happiness judgement?
If their average happiness across their whole life is declining (and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future) then they have no reason to continue living
What is the higher qualities judgement?
There are minimal qualities necessary for a person to love a happy life eg memory, autonomy, ability to form relationships
What did Mill believe about the quality of life principle?
Autonomy
The value of life comes from the ability of one to determine their own future
Aim to maximise personal freedoms
Paternalism
Quote from Mill about euthanasia
‘He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because it will be better for him to do so, because it make him happiness’
What did John Glover say about the quality of life principle?
Being alive alone is not a sufficient condition to make life valuable
It is valuable as long as conscious experience is possible ( supports euthanising PVS patients)
Give issues in relation to consequentialism and deontology
Purity of intention ( cannot determine someones intentions)
You cannot distinguish foreseen and unforeseen effects (Double effect)
Cannot predict the outcome (euthanasia could lead to more suffering)
