Euthanaisa Flashcards
What is euthanasia
A good death
Mercy killing
5 types of euthanasia
Physician aided suicide Physician aid in dying Voluntary euthanasia Non voluntary Passive euthanasia
Types of views on euthanasia 7
strong sanctity of life Weak sanctity of life Liberal principle Natural law Consequentionalism Situationist Quality of life
Strong sanctity of life arguments
Life is set apart by god - spark of divinity genesis 1:27
Life is a gift from god so he decides
Innocent life always to be respected
Life is always to be loved and protected - for God gave his only son, believe in him = eternal life
Image of god - intrinsic value
Weak sanctity of life
Not even god can endure pain
Gift from god so shouldn’t be a burden and you have ownership
What is the quality of life principle?
View of an instrumentalist
Something is only useful if achieves a purpose
Has to have certain attributes
Peter singers view
Rejected sanctity of life Developed John Lockes idea Instrumentalist view Said an defective infant has inferior capacities to an animal so can be euthanized people with PVS can be killed
John Stuart Mills view
Developed liberal principle
Humans best judges of their own happiness
Doesn’t agree with singer
Problem with Mills argument
Is it never ok to interfer even f someone is irrational or mentally disturbed
Natural law on euthanasia
Always wrong
Undermines social stability of society
Acceptable to refuse extraordinary treatment
Doctrine double effect must not have intention to cause death but ok if side effect from pain relief
Consequentialism view
Judges outcomes
Failing to give medicine morally equivalent to allowing patient to die
Accept double doctrine effect
Situationists view
Depends on situation
4 working principles
Relativism depends on situation
Personalism - love and people consist of more than biological value
Pragmatism - practical solution to end suffering
