Euthanasia Flashcards
Forms of euthanasia
Voluntary- performed without patient knowledge
Involuntary- pain killing drugs with knowledge
Passive- digntias- nothing to help, legal in some places
Active- illegal
Compulsory- patient request
Suicide- death due to voluntary action (illegal)
Assisted suicide- direct result as others actions
Situation ethics
Advantages
Personalism- putting people over laws, meaning that if the situation calls for it, euthanasia can happen for the good of the person
Pragmatism- we do whatever is practical in circumstances
Relativism- act out of love- happiness over pleasure
Agape- the most loving thing t do may be to give someone a peaceful death, put the, out of their pain
Voluntary euthanasia- putting someone out of their misery
Situation ethics
Disadvantages
Slippery slope- would be taken advantage of- easy way out
Non-voluntary- it’s not loving if it goes against heir own wishes- they cannot consent to it therefore you are forcing them
Doctrine of double of effect
The difference between giving painkillers to terminally ill patient with the knowledge it will shorten life and no action is taken by professionals to change outcome
Can be distinguished from euthanasia and seen as murder
Slippery slope argument
Against euthanasia because of the corruption that the legalization could cause
Acceptance of certain practices currently deemed unacceptable
Corruption in consulting - the cost of palliative care can be seen as an unnecessary care
Argument against- doctrines and hospitals aren’t corrupt
Autonomy
A fundamental principle of life is that humans have autonomy to choose their own destiny
Although utilitarians value autonomy it is not valuable in isolation
Mill said that taking one’s life is a matter of choice- but if one is in a state where they are unable to choose- paternalism overrides
Higher qualities judgement
A person’s life is judged by certain minimum standards orders to maintain a good quality of life
e.g memory, the ability to form relationships…
If a person lacks these then death purposefully can be justified
Religious view
Christian argue that God is the only one who gives and takes life- they would therefore be against any form of euthanasia
However inconsistency as they are pro-palliative car which is prolonging life unnecessarily
Defining death
The definition of the death has changed from cardiac death to brain dead
Still debate around amount of brain activity needed to live
UK law on euthanasia
No law directly deals with euthanasia, however 1961 suicide act says illegal to aid and abet death
“The act of bringing out own easy and painless death”
Peter Singer
Singer’s belief on disability can be very controversial as he believes children with a disability should be allowed to be euthanized as it would be removing their pain, humanly
Singer rejects the sanctity of life principle and instead focuses on the quality of life
If the quality isn’t deemed respectable then it has the right to be terminated
Sanctity of life principle
Warnock “the principle that to deliberately kill someone or something or to deliberately take action that will result in death is wrong”
Many religious people would say that taking away sanctity is taking away sacredness of life
Life is a gift from God
Natural law
Social stability
Euthanasia undermines the social stability as it undermines a citizens purpose to maintain laws
Sign that society has failed it’s duty
Natural law
Duty to God
Aquinas sates that a key is to worship God a and therefore God is the only one can give and take life (Christian)
Natural Law
No refusal of treatment
The doctrine of ordinary and extraordinary means, prohibits the refusal of ordinary treatment
