Beliefs and Ethical Issues

Question 1

What do you need to do when developing ideas about topics?

Answer 1

-Identify the relevant facts
-discuss ideas openly
-make arguments that are backed up by fact
-listen carefully to the views of others
-be able to defend your views when others challenge them
-respect the views of others, even when they differ from yours
-be willing to change your mind if necessary.

Question 2

Arguments for Euthanasia

Answer 2

 Euthanasia allows people to die in dignity
 Death is a private and personal matter
 It provides people with a choice about how long they want to live for
and in what sort of state – they can define what will work for their life
 It saves a lot of money on medical bills and a person can choose this in
order to ensure that they do not send their families into financial ruin
 Often people are in a lot of pain when they are dealing with serious
medical issues – it allows that to be removed – and the actual dying
can be ensured to be pain free with the drugs used
 There is a certain kindness in this practice
 It can also be kind to allow the time the family members witness the
pain and suffering to be limited
 If healthy people are allowed to choose suicide why are people who
need assistance with this not allowed to ask for it?
 We have the right to life, why not the right to death?
 We think that it is kind to do this to animals - why not humans?
 Euthanasia happens anyway – it is better to legalise it and regulate it

Question 3

Arguments against euthanasia

Answer 3

 People should not be allowed to decide who lives and who dies – it is
not our choice
 This practice could weaken our respect for the sanctity of life – what
would the knock effects of this be? We already live in a country where
people do not respect this.
 Legalising this practice could mean that people coerce others into it in
order to save money or time (medical practitioners, greedy family
members etc.)
 South Africa does not have the medical structure to allow this to be
appropriately practiced – there could be serious abuse of this and if a
person is dead then they can no longer bear witness to this fact
 Would this not be sending the message that some lives (those of the
disabled or sick) are worth less than others
(This point can be countered by the fact that dying is different to not
being born – the debate is not about preventing disability from
entering into the world but about allowing people who were born
without disability to choose whether they would like to continue living
if they become disabled)
 Voluntary euthanasia is the start of aslippery slopethat leads
toinvoluntary euthanasiaand the killing of people who are thought
undesirable
 Euthanasia mightnot be in a person's best interests
 Euthanasia affects other people's rights, not just those of the patient –
what about family, friends, the doctors who have to practice this etc.
 If there is proper palliative care then people should not be in pain or
uncomfortable – this removes this argument – we should be putting
our energy into ensuring this rather than into euthanizing people
 Allowing this may lead to less care and respect for the terminally ill
 This practice undermines the commitment of doctors and nurses to
saving lives
 May discourage the search for new cures and treatments for the
terminally ill

Question 4

Euthanasia definition

Answer 4

It is the act / practice of killing someone who is very sick or injured to prevent any more
suffering.

Question 5

Arguments for abortion

Answer 5

• you could know that the child will b born into a difficult life (e.g. disability, poverty, etc.)
• the parents could be young and not emotionally capable of raising a child
• The child could be a product of traumatic circumstances (e.g. rape)
• The mother could be at high risk of complications in giving birth/ in pregnancy

Question 6

Arguments against abortion

Answer 6

• why do you get to decide who lives and who dies
• you can’t ever know for sure how someone’s life will go, are you really willing to not let them have the chance at a good life
• pregnancy is usually as a result of your own actions (except rape). You now need to take responsibility for those actions.

Question 7

Death penalty Agree

Answer 7

• prisoners live off taxes, why should we pay for the people who have wronged us?
• prisons are overcrowded
• some people think that certain people are beyond redemption and deserve to die
• it could discourage penalty-worthy crimes.
• prevents repeat ofences

Question 8

Death penatly disagree

Answer 8

• technically murder
• presumes that person is incapable of change, but you can never know for sure
• Killing someone doesn’t change what has happened, it isn’t a solution.
• what is a penalty worthy crime and who gets to decide who lives and who dies?
• what about the person who actually carries out the penalty? Probable psychological damage.
• How much is someone to blame for their actions? Does their upbringing play a role? Doesn’t society play a role?
• could be abused by government
• wrongfully accused people die