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ETHICS > EUTHANASIA > Flashcards

EUTHANASIA Flashcards

1
Q

deliberate

Define Active Euthanasia

A

Acting to deliberately bring about the death of a person e.g by administering a lethal injection or an overdose of medication

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2
Q

Failing

Define Passive Euthanasia

A

Failing to prevent the death of the person when intervention is on the agent’s power. Treatment is withdrawn/not given to the person e.g turning off a life support machine or withdrawing nutrition

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3
Q

Do they have consent?

Non-voluntary Euthanasia

A
  • Where a person cannot make a decision/is incapable of making their wishes known and someone else judges it would be kinder to end their life- WITHOUT PERSON’S REQUEST
  • Can apply to removal of life support from a patient in a coma, a patient with brain damage or a very young baby
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4
Q

Do they have consent? What else is it known as?

Voluntary Euthanasia

A
  • The intentional ending of a person’s life with their consent
  • Also known as ASSISTED SUICIDE
  • Can include a person who wishes to die but is physically unable to end their life themselves- may ask a family member or a doctor for help to end their suffering
  • Can also include use of living wills where a person record their desire regarding medical treatment where they are no longer able to express informed consent
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5
Q

Do they have consent?

Involuntary Euthanasia

A

Where the decision to euthanise a person is made either against their wishes or without their consent even if they’re able to consent

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6
Q

Europe

Give two countries where Euthanasia is legal

A
  • Belgium
  • The Netherlands
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7
Q

What did this case show?

Tony Bland

A
  • Provided a precedent where, in certain extreme circumstances, non-voluntary, passive euthanasia is permitted
  • Fatally injured in 1989 Hillsborough Disaster
  • For 4 years had been kept alive by machines in a state where “his body was alive but he has no life” (Lord Justice Hoffman)
  • In a landmark court ruling, was agreed the feeding tubes keeping him alive could be withdrawn and he died in Feb 1993
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8
Q

Sanctity of Life

A

- The idea that life is intrinsically sacred or has such worth that it’s not considered within power of a human being
- In christian ethics, it refers to the idea that life’s special and valuable as it is God-given

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9
Q

Palliative Care

A

Specialised medical care, aimed at optimising quality of life and reducing suffering among people with serious, complex and often terminal illnesses

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10
Q

References from the Bible to support Sanctity of Life: Genesis 1:27

A
  • “So God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them” : “image of God” - capacity for rationality, divine spark within humans, autonomy or ability to make moral decisions
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11
Q

References from the Bible to support Sanctity of Life: Exodus 20:13

A

“You shall not murder”: 10 Commandments - possible to debate whether it is about murder specifically or killing more generally

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12
Q

References from the Bible to support Sanctity of Life: Job 1:21

A

“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” - it is for God to decide moment of birth and moment of death- cannot be a human decision- our lives aren’t our own but God’s

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13
Q

CASE FOR SANCTITY OF LIFE

A
  • If we don’t uphold supreme values of life, this may lead to poorer treatment of patients/people feeling like burden on resources
  • Idea that life is special in all forms is not a bad idea
  • Supported by Natural Law- upholds Preservation of innocent life (primary precepts)
  • Supported by Biblical sources
  • Avoids problems of having to predict future quality of life
  • Arguably consistent with Hippocratic Oath “I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to that effect”
  • Provides clear, fixed duties- avoids problem with subjective judgments/sentiments
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14
Q

CASE AGAINST SANCTITY OF LIFE

A
  • Assumes a religious worldview which many no longer share
  • Says life must be saved at all costs despite chances of treatment working- we have advanced and are now aboe to know which lives can and cannot be saved- no longer need to value life at all costs
  • Suffering of patients may be unnecessarily increased if we preserve life at all costs
  • Far more important to work on a case-by-case basis attempting to do most loving thing
  • Peter Singer: SOL is a old-fashioned ethic that needs to be replaced as it goes against autonomy and control- people ought to have freedom for lives for themselves
  • Hippocrates suggests it is pointless to continue treating those who are overcome by a disease and for whom medicine is powerless
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15
Q

CASE FOR SANCTITY OF LIFE: SLIPPERY SLOPE

A
  • Opponents of euthanasia may be beginning of a slippery slope where respect for life is reduced and pressure may be exerted on vulnerable such as elderly or disabled
  • They may agree to euthanasia because they feel wrongly feel they’re a burden to society
  • Isuue of abortion: Precedent for slippery slope argument
  • When abortion was legalised, it was imagined there would be a few thousand cases per year- currently there are over 180,000 abortions in the UK each year
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16
Q

CASE AGAINST SANCTITY OF LIFE: SLIPPERY SLOPE

A
  • Peter Singer cited a review conducted in the Netherlands (euthanasia is legal)
  • There were around 48,000 end of life decisions in the time period studies and only two cases where it was possible that patients lives had been ended against their will, although equally they could be explained by poor documentation
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17
Q

How might Natural Law view Sanctity of Life?

A
  • WOULD SUPPORT
  • Primary Precept of Self-Preservation- protects God-given life
  • Divine Life- supports sanctity of humans being “made in God’s image”
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18
Q

Natural Law, Sanctity of Life

What is helpful about this view?

A
  • Avoids problems of having to predict future quality of life
  • Arguably consistent with Hippocratic Oath “ I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it…”
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19
Q

Natural Law, Sanctity of Life

What is unhelpful about this view?

A
  • Assumes a religious worldview which not many people of the 21st century hold
  • Suffering of patients may be unnecessarily increased if we preserve life at all costs
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20
Q

How might Situation Ethics view sanctity of life?

A

- WOULDN’T SUPPORT
- Situation ethics reject overly legalistic interpretations of Sanctity of Life- more important to work on a case-by-case basis attempting to do most loving thing
- Suffering of patients may be increased if we preserve life at all costs

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21
Q

Situation ethics, Sanctity of Life

What is helpful about this view?

A
  • It asserts that while we must firstly respect sanctity of life, which protects vulnerable, it doesnt have to be at all costs
  • Allows for a more flexible approach which considers suffering and well-being
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22
Q

Situation ethics, Sanctity of Life

What is unhelpful about this view?

A
  • Has to still be able to predict consequences
  • Potentially leads to disability discrimination
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23
Q

Quality of life

A

- The idea that life’s value depends on certain attributes or goods
- It takes the view that whether life is valuable depends on whether it is worth living.

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24
Q

I’m working late

Which Utilitarian philosopher supports this view?

A

Peter Singer

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25
Q

What are the 5 quality of life commandments according to Peter Singer?

A
  1. Recognise that the worth of human life varies
  2. Take responsibility for the consequences of your decisions to save or end life
  3. Respect a person’s desire to live/die
  4. Bring children into the world only if they are wanted
  5. no discrimination on the basis of species
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26
Q

What are the secular Ancient Greek origins of quality of life?

A

Hippocrates- we shouldn’t help people who are terminally ill

27
Q

How might Natural Law view quality of life?

A

WOULDN’T SUPPORT
- Self preservation is a primary precept
- Divine Law: we have been made in God’s image

28
Q

Natural Law, Quality of Life

What is helpful about this view?

A
  • Provides clear fixed duties
  • Consistent with Hippocratic Oath
29
Q

Natural Law, Quality of life

What is unhelpful about this view?

A
  • Natural Law and SoL relies on a religious worldview which many no longer share- QoL doesn’t
  • Technology and medical knowledge has advanced greatly- we now know which lives can and can’t be saved- we don’t need to value life at all costs
30
Q

How might situation ethics view quality of life?

A
  • WOULD SUPPORT
  • Love arguably demands a consideration of QoL as it considers things like well-being and suffering
  • Presupposition of Personalism- people are more important than principles
31
Q

Situation ethics, quality of life

What is helpful about this view?

A
  • Allows ability to do the most loving thing based on case to case
  • Its flexible and consequentalist, considering suffering and well-being
32
Q

Situation ethics, quality of life

What is unhelpful about this view?

A
  • There are problems of having to predict future quality of life- maybe things will get better?
  • Arguably inconsistent with Hippocratic Oath: I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to that effect
33
Q

Autonomy

A

self- ruling: we are free and able to make our own decisions

34
Q

On liberty… Im working late…

Two Utilitarian thinkers who value the principle of autonomy

A

J.S Mill and Peter Singer
- J.S Mill: ‘Over himself, over his body and mind, the individual is sovereign’
- Peter Singer: Argues that humans should be free to pursue their own desires. This autonomy includes right to make our own decision about death

35
Q

put em to sleep…

Doctor who has assisted people to take their own lives

A

Jack Kevorkian
‘In my highest view the highest principle in medical ethics… is personal autonomy…. what counts is what the patient wants.”

36
Q

Which Christian theologian thinks God has given people freedom and responsibility over the manner and time of their deaths

A

Hans Kung

37
Q

How might Natural Law view autonomy?

A
  • WOULDN’T SUPPORT
  • Humans have been made with a particular telos which is fufilled by following Primary Precepts e.g Worship God (God is to be served, not individual autonomy
  • Catholic Church’s interpretation of Secondary Precepts makes N.L deontological and absolutist- contradicts principle of autonomy
38
Q

Natural Law, Autonomy

What is helpful about this view?

A
  • Autonomous right to die may lead to improper harm to others (Slippery Slope)
  • The freedom to die may impact on other people’s freedom e.g doctors, family member, vulnerable- causes harm beyond the individual
39
Q

Natural Law, autonomy

What is unhelpful about this view?

A
  • Autonomy arguably fits with a christian understanding of humans being made in God’s image
  • Liberty is a desirable and valued principle which can be upheld while protecting people from harm- supported by J.S Mill’s harm principle from On Liberty
40
Q

How might Situation ethics view autonomy?

A

DOESN’T SUPPORT COMPLETE AUTONOMY
- SE isn’t antinomian (no laws)
- However, it is highly relativist, pragmatic and personalist and therefore supports a lot of autonomy

41
Q

Situation ethics, autonomy

What is helpful about this view?

A
  • Liberty is a desired and valued principle, which can be upheld whilst protecting people from harm
  • It is arguably the primary principle in medical ethics (Jack Kevorkian)
42
Q

Situation ethics, autonomy

What is unhelpful about this view?

A
  • The idea that people are free to make decisions questionable.
  • Autonomous right to die may lead to improper harm to others
  • Supporters of non-voluntary euthanasia can’t appeal to autonomy
43
Q

What is an ‘act’ and an ‘omission’?

A

Act: doing something
Omission: a failure to do something

44
Q

fave friends character first name but with an s on the end

Which American philosopher challenges the acts and omissions debate and how does he challenge it?

A
  • James Rachels
  • Suggests that acts and omissions are equally as bad as each other when we consider the issue of euthanasia
45
Q

Why does Rachels think passive euthanasia might be worse than active euthanasia

A

It may be crueller because death might take longer

46
Q

Why does Singer think the distinction between acts and omissions isnt so clear cut?

A
  • Using Tony Bland case, Singer asks us to consider whether removal of feeding tube was an ‘act’ that led to his death or an ‘omission’ e.g they were omitting to feed him
47
Q

How might Natural Law view acts and omission debate?

A
  • WOULDN’T SUPPORT
  • Interior act is to kill- very wrong
  • Breaks Primary Precept of Self Preservation
48
Q

Natural Law, A&O

What is helpful about this view

A
  • Asserting that both Active and Passive euthanasia is wrong provides clear, universal, easy-to-follow duties
  • Asserting that both Active and Passive euthanasia is wrong arguably fits with Hippocratic Oath
49
Q

Natural Law, A&O

What is unhelpful about this view

A
  • Non-voluntary passive cases like Tony Bland are arguably not permissible. Therefore, NL causes unneccesary suffering
  • An Omission may cause a slower more painful death, therefore focussing on the consequences of actions rather than intentions is arguably more helpful
50
Q

How might Situation ethics view acts and omission debate?

A
  • WOULD SUPPORT
  • Teleological and consequentalist theory: therefore Moral and Passive euthanasia are morally equivalent
  • The ends justifies the means- it is loving
51
Q

Situation ethics, A&O

What is helpful about this view

A
  • SE’s pragmatism (being practical rather than ideological) is helpful and considers the consequences of the Act and Omissions
  • SE’s relativism (no fixed laws) allows the unique situation to be assessed
52
Q

Situation ethics, A&O

What is unhelpful about this view

A
  • Perhaps asserting Active+Passive euthanasia is wrong would provide clear universal duties easy to follow
  • Asserting they’re wrong arguably fits with intentions of Hippocratic Oath
53
Q

Personhood

A

What we mean by the idea of a person

54
Q

Genesis

What is a person according to principle of sanctity of life?

A

“Made in God’s image”

55
Q

What is a person according to Peter Singer?

A

-beings must be self-aware, and capable of perceiving themselves as individuals through time.

56
Q

Criteria for what a person needs

Joseph Fletcher: Personhood

A
  • Minimal intelligence defined by an IQ of 20 or 40
  • Self awareness and self control
  • A sense of passage of time
  • Concern for others
  • Communication
  • Control of existence
  • Curiousity
  • Possibility of change and changeability
  • A balance of rationality and feeling
  • Having an identity
  • Neocortical function (thinking)
57
Q

What organisation was Joseph Fletcher president of?

A

Euthanasia Society of America

58
Q

How might Natural Law view personhood

A
  • WOULD SUPPORT
  • NL views all humans as persons as it’s based on the assumption that God created humans with a telos
  • Divine Law supports this view as Genesis asserts that humans are ‘made in God’s image’
59
Q

Natural Law, Personhood

What is helpful about this view?

A
  • It is egalitarian (truly equal)
  • This view protects humans against disability discrimination
60
Q

Natural Law, Personhood

What is unhelpful about this view?

A
  • Peter Singer: speciesist- many animals have many of the criteria that we would associate with persons and some human beings don’t
  • The view all humans are persons might not be helpful when resolving dilemmas involving humans in PVSs
61
Q

How might Situation Ethics view Personhood?

A
  • Joseph Fletcher has a strict criteria of what makes a person a person
  • e.g: A minimal intelligence defined by an IQ of 20 or 40
  • Self awareness and self control
  • Communication
62
Q

Situation Ethics, Personhood

What is helpful about this view?

A
  • Helps resolve dilemmas involving humans in PVSs- would support the outcome of cases such as Tony Bland
  • It isn’t speciesist- many animals have the same criteria that we would associate with persons
63
Q

Situation Ethics, Personhood

What is unhelpful about this view?

A
  • It is arguably an expression of disability discrimination
  • Fletchers view might lead to the killing of the vulnerable

ETHICS (5 decks)

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