Euthanasia

Question 1

What is voluntary euthanasia?

Answer 1

When a persons life is ended at their request or with their consent

Question 2

What is non-voluntary euthanasia?

Answer 2

When a persons life has ended without their consent, but with the consent of someone representing their interests, e.g. when the person is in a persistent vegetative state

Question 3

What is sanctity of life?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

What is quality of life?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

What is active euthanasia?

Answer 5

A treatment is given that directly causes the death of the individual

Question 6

What is passive euthanasia?

Answer 6

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

Question 7

What is autonomy?

Answer 7

Literally ‘self-ruling’; the belief that we are free and able to make our own decisions

Question 8

Biblical texts that support the belief in the sanctity of life.

Answer 8

‘The lord gave, and the Lord has taken away.’ (Job 1:21)

‘Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God’. (1 Corinthians 6:18): Paul - New Testament

‘So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God, he created them.’ (Genesis 1:2£)

Question 9

What do biblical texts prove to support the sanctity of life?

Answer 9

It is for God to decide the moment of birth, and the moment of death, it cannot be a human decision as our lives are not our own, but God’s

Paul in the new Testament, reinforces the idea that the believers body in a sense belongs to God, as the giver of life

Question 10

Which utilitarian philosopher, argued for replacing sanctity of life ethics with five quality of life commandments?

Answer 10

Peter Singer

Question 11

What were the five quality of life commandments put in place?

Answer 11

1. We should recognise the worth of human life varies
2. We should take responsibility for the consequences of our decisions to save or end life
3. We should respect a persons desire to live or die
4. We should only bring children into the world if they’re wanted
5. We should not discriminate on the basis of species

Question 12

Sanctity life is a useful concept because…

Answer 12

Upholds the intrinsic value in life in a culture where we are increasingly dehumanising others in the world and online

It ensures the basic rights to life are respected especially in cases where people can’t speak up for themselves

Avoids slippery slope - loss of respect for life, elderly and disabled will follow trends of abortion (more killing)

Question 13

Sanctity life is no longer useful because…

Answer 13

Out of place in an increasingly secular society. Over 50% of UK no longer believe in God less than 10% regularly attend church
Life is not treated with dignity or respect if people die in horrible pain - it’s self defeating
Sanctity of life demands all should be saved at all costs. However, with advancements in technology we can now see with technology that some medicine is pointless… we do not have to treat all people

Question 14

Natural laws views on euthanasia and potential issues.

Answer 14

Divine law - it’s for God to bring life to an end not human beings
Natural law - preserve innocent life. Logically leads to secondary precept that would prohibit euthanasia
Euthanasia is an apparent good stands in contradiction of the real good as it prevents life to continue its God given course
Catechism - ‘Discontinuing medical procedures that are… extraordinary.’ So allow food medicine etc. but not allow those who cannot recover life support machines
Double effect

Question 15

Natural Law double effect and proportionalism.

Answer 15

David Moor in 1999 accidentally murdered 85 year old seriously ill cancer patient. Double effect hinges on the intention behind the action; a doctor foresees that death is a possibility, but that is not the primary intention

Proportionalists go further and argue NL can be broken if there is a significant proportionate reason to make an exception. Daniel Maguire argues that where biological life continues but personhood is greatly diminished, shortening the process of dying is not in itself wrong - it’s condemned by Roman Catholic Church

Question 16

NL provides a good approach to euthanasia…

Answer 16

Committed to sanctity of life, avoids slippery slope respects life
NL prevents individuals from playing God and making choices about lives of others
Double effect allows flexibility to a rigid system, allows pain relief despite frailty of the patient

Question 17

NL does not provide a good approach to euthanasia because…

Answer 17

Depends on Christian roots, especially in increasingly secular society

Can be legalistic and absolutist each situation is different, but it insists on a common approach

Natural law insist people live, even in immense pain, utilitarianism would argue reduction of pain, and a focus on quality of life is better

Not enough weight on human autonomy, person concerned should be central to the decisions

Double effect may be euthanasia by default, we do not know doctors intentions

Question 18

Situation ethics on euthanasia.

Answer 18

Situation, ethics, values, quality of life and autonomy over sanctity of life, because personalism is one of fletches four principles.

Fletcher argues that loves decisions are made situationally, not prescriptively. This isn’t a total endorsement of euthanasia, but a recognition that there are some cases where this is the right option.

Rules such as ‘do not kill’ are sophia (general rules of wisdom) but can be broken when love demands it. Sanctity of life would belong in sophia

Fletcher values, pragmatism we should do whatever is likely to work in euthanasia. There is no ideal solution, so pick what leads to the lesser of the possible evils

Question 19

Situation ethics, provides a good approach to euthanasia because…

Answer 19

It is flexible, it offers general principles, rather than fixed rules, therefore allows us to respond in varying situations

Agape puts people first, an improvement on utilitarian ideas of happiness for the majority

Technology and knowledge means we are better placed to know who is worth and not worth treating

Respects the autonomy of individuals insurers the patient is the most significant person in the situation.

Question 20

Situation ethics does not provide a good approach to euthanasia because…

Answer 20

Can be seen as vague, doing the most loving thing is a good aim, but there is little guidance on what that might look like in practice. Individuals differ to what is the most loving

Situation ethics requires a prediction of future consequence. This is not always possible in complex medical cases.

Situation ethics, lacks boundaries, may lead to a slippery slope with an increase in euthanasia cases, particularly for vulnerable people.

Question 21

Hippocratic Oath with an example.

Answer 21

Tony Bland - Hillsborough 1989
Doctors would not turn off his life support machine as it was against the Hippocratic oath that doctors take to preserve life

“I will abstain from harming or wronging any man by it.”

Question 22

NL on euthanasia essay

Answer 22

NL -> euthanasia -> types - no help -> SE>

Natural Law primary precepts forbid -> derive, secondary precept -> proximate conclusion of reason -> sanctity of life. -> Only God can remove life -> the Lord gave and has taken -> preserves respect and dignity, sacredity-> HOWEVER, in constant pain -> veg-> animalistic no respect -> SE better

NL can be flexible -> double effect -> David moor 1999 cancer patient -> hard to know intentions, self defeating -> understands quality of life wants to aid but thin line, keeping alive God should decide-> Might asw SE -> breaking Hippocratic oath either way

NL -> Prevent slippery slope
-> Saves vulnerable and old people -> Prevents making choices about others lives -> SE focuses on personalism one of core principles -> Truly does put the person first middle ground for legalistic views-> NL May preserve life, but implies a common approach-> SE better as relativist - better as autonomy

Conclusion

Question 23

SE on euthanasia essay

Answer 23

SE -> quality of life -> euthanasia -> principles -> NL worse SE best

Flexibility -> agapep principles> fixed rules -> better in complex varying situations which euthanasia is> relativism HOWEVER vague-> what is most loving-> suffering person may have no voice

SE-> autonomy-> personalism-> people first-> pragmatism -> no ideal situation-> most loving first with respect for choice HOWEVER NL -> most loving would be to ensure survival -> SE -> more respect for ending a life, not worth living and keeping one going

Modern -> 50% non-believers -> technology medicine now know who is worth treating -> secular ideas too legalistic need more liberal HOWEVER -> too liberal the Lord has given and taken -> bodies, temples of God -> God shall decide -> when not slippery slope HOWEVER -> slippery slope fallacy -> double effect, Dr Moore is a weaker self defeating version of SE’s take