Chapter 7 Flashcards
Assisted suicide
Any action or omission of action that assists another person in bringing about his own death.
Autonomy
The belief that one is entirely independent and is responsible only to himself for his actions and the direction of his life.
Bioethics
Derived from the Greek words bios (life) and ethos (ethics), the discipline dealing with ethical questions related to human life that arise as a result of advances in medicine and biology
Capital punishment
An act by the legitimate authority of a state or nation to put a criminal to death
Cloning
The process of developing a person or animal from one somatic cell, thus it is genetically identical. Always immoral
Culture of death
A term used to describe a society or culture that tolerates or favors acts and ideas that are affront to the dignity of human life
Dignity of human life
The quality of being worthy or honorable; worthiness, nobleness, excellence
Euthanasia
Greek for good death. An action or omission of an action that, by itself or by intention, to end a person’s life to end suffering
Excommunication
Censured by a bishop in response to a grave, habitual, and public sin
Extraordinary means
Life saving forms of medical care that are either radically painful, extremely expensive, doubtfully able to accomplish the task, or radically burdensome
Just war
The principle that war may be legitimately waged, under certain specific conditions, for the protection of a nation’s rights
Murder
The sinful killing of a human being with malice aforethought
Mutilation
The action of disfiguring a part of the body, sometimes rendering it useless or wounded
Pro choice
Term commonly used to describe those who favor legalized abortion, stating that it is the woman’s choice to give birth or terminate the baby’s life
Pro life
Term commonly used to identify those who oppose abortion and other affronts to human dignity
