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Ethics > Euthanasia > Flashcards

Euthanasia Flashcards

1
Q

Euthanasia

A

Good death, refering to the practice of hasteningsomeone’s death perhaps in order to spare them further suffering

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2
Q

Voluntary euthanasia

A

When a person’s life is ended at their request or with their consent

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3
Q

Non-voluntary euthanasia

A

Whe a person’s life is ended without their consent but with the consent of someone representing their interests

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4
Q

In-voluntary euthansia

A

When a person’s life is ended without their consent when they are if full capacity to consent

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5
Q

Sanctity of life

A

A religious concept that human life is made in God’s impage and is therefore sacred in value

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6
Q

Quality of life

A

A largely secular idea that human life has to posses certain attributes in order to have value

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7
Q

Autonomy

A

The belief that we are free and able to make our own decisions

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8
Q

Active euthanasia

A

A treatment that is given dircetly causing the death of the individual

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9
Q

Passive euthanasia

A

A treatment is withheld and this indirectly causes the death of the individual

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10
Q

Dr David moore

A

Does of morphie hastened the death of a patient who had cancer

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11
Q

Daniel james

A

Under 16 rugby player, paralysed, went to dignitas after several failed suicide attempts

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12
Q

Hannah jones

A

Didn’t want to go back to hospital for any more operations, would rather die (13yr)

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13
Q

Example of acts

A

Legal guardian of nephew, plans to kill him, draws him a bathm make it looks like an accident

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14
Q

Example of omissions

A

Legal guardian of nephew, resents him but wouldn’t hurt him, nephew slips in bath and hits his head drowining, watches and does nothing

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15
Q

Tony bland

A

Was in PVS, removed feeding tube, took 10 days to die
- his choice came as important to families as they were now able to make decisions for family members who could not make decisions for themselves surrounding euthanasia

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16
Q

sacrificial suicide

A

Terminally ill patient taking drugs to extend life, decides to stop taking drugs as death will mean that the family can claim life insurace

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17
Q

Acts and omissions - james rachels

A
  • act = actually killing the person
  • omissions = death is an accident but you watch and do nothing
  • both are equally as bad
  • passive opperating by ommisions might be as bad
18
Q

Acts and omissions = peter singer

A

They aren’t very clear cut

19
Q

Acts and omissions - natural law

A
  • there is a difference
  • look at the intention
  • double effect
20
Q

Acts and ommissions - situation ethics

A
  • consequences are mor important

- doesn’t matter if it is acts or omissions

21
Q

Natural law - 4 tiers

A
  1. Eternal law
  2. Divine law
  3. Natural law
  4. Human law
    - it is only for God to take life
22
Q

Natural law - double effect

A
  • depends on the intention behind the action

- death may not have been the primary intention

23
Q

Sophia

A

General rules of wisdom

- can be broken when love demands it

24
Q

Personalism

A

People are their welfare, importance of autonomy

25
Q

Pragmatism

A

We should do whatever is likely to work

26
Q

Situation ethics - conclusion

A
  • not a total endosment of euthanasia but recognises cases where this is the best option
  • traditional religious ethics have come to the wrong conclusion
  • ending the life of a person in pain that doesn’ want to live is just
27
Q

Natural law approach - strengths

A
  • upholds the sanctity of human life
  • defends rights
  • double effects puts the patient first
  • weak sanctity of life recognises that it is acceptable to allow someone to die rather than prolong their discomfort
  • prevents individuals playing God
  • double effect provides some felxibility
28
Q

Natural law approaches - weakness

A
  • overly religious and dependent on Chrisian roots
  • too legalistic and absolutist, each situation is different
  • should look at reducig pain, natural law doesn’t stop this
  • doesn’t place significant weight on huamn autonomy
  • double effect is close to euthanasia, hard to ditinguish
  • peter singer - reduction in pain
  • weak sanctity of life implies there is no autonomy
  • precept of ‘preserve life’ is out of date and we must rethink it
29
Q

Situation ethics - strengths

A
  • we are not simply given rules to obey, we are using reason and can think of how to serve love
  • more flexible than natural law interpretation
  • modern technology and medical knowledge means we cna know who is worth saving
  • respects autonomy of individuals
30
Q

Situation ethics - weaknesses

A
  • quite vague so people may do different things
  • you have to predict future consequences
  • lacks any absolubte boundaries so leading to a slippery slope
  • we don’t agree on what to do
  • does not difine what is meant by situation, where do we draw the line
31
Q

Assisted suicide

A

Helping others kill themselves

32
Q

Sanctity of life bible passages

A
  • ‘so God created mankind in his own image’ - Genesis 1:27

- ‘you shall not murder’ - Exodus 20:13

33
Q

Peter singer quality of life commandments (preference utilitarianism)

A
  1. Worth of life varies
  2. Take responsibility for consequences of decisions to end or save life
  3. Respect a persons desire to live or die
  4. Only bring childrenn into the world if they are wanted
  5. Do not discriminate on basis of species
34
Q

The slippery slope argument

A
  • changes to the law may lead to a slippery slope
  • respect for life is reduced and pressure may be exerted in those who are vulnerable
  • people may agree to euthanasia becuase they feel wrongly that they are a burden to society
35
Q

Singers response to slippery slope

A
  • in the Netherlands there were around 48,000 end of life decisions in the time period of the test
  • only 2 cases where it was possible that patients lives had been ended against their will - these could have been explained by poor documentation
36
Q

Sanctity of life remains a useful concept

A
  • holds up the intrinsic value of life in a culture where we dehumanise others
  • it ensure that basic rights such as right to life are respected
  • there is a potential slippery slope that sanctity of life avoids
37
Q

Sanctity of life is no longer useful

A
  • it is a religious concept that is out of place if a secular society
  • it is at odds with peoples autonomy
  • it leads to people dying painfully and does not treat human life with dignity
  • it demands that life must be saved at all costs, medical advances means that it can be known when treatment does not lead to imporvement
38
Q

People should have autonomy over their own lives

A
  • situation ethics supports the idea of autonomy - key aspect of the idea of ‘personalism’ that we allow individuals to make decisions about what is in their own interest
  • arguments against autonomy are based on a religious notion which becomes irrelevant if God does not exist
39
Q

People should not have autonomy over their own lives

A
  • life is viewed as God-given and preservation of life is one of the five primary precepts
  • autonomy is not a concept that is supported by sacred texts
  • autonomy is a very difficult concept to apply in such as traumatic and stressful time - there is very little clarity
40
Q

There is a significant difference between acts and omissions

A
  • natural law, actions matter - preserving innocent life rules out acts that directly lead to death
  • double effect allows that some actions may lead to death of an individual
  • distinction between acts and omissions takes seriously the issue of moral agency - if we were to allow active euthanasia we would need doctors and other medical professionals to carry this out
41
Q

There is no significant difference between acts and omissions

A
  • situation ethics challenges the distinction - are cases where agape requires the compassionate response of helping someone to end their life
  • teleological focuses on reducing pain and suffering would favour euthanasia
  • one practical difficulty is that withdrawal of treatment is often a length process and leads to medical resources, active euthanasia speeds up the inevitable
  • double effect is complex and not coherent

Ethics (20 decks)

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