Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Ethics > EUTHANASIA > Flashcards

EUTHANASIA Flashcards

1
Q

Sanctity of life

A

Traditional christian view.

God created human life, it is a gift from God, only God has a right to end it.

This gives value to life and prevents mass killing (NL)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Bible quotes to support sanctity of life

A

Corinthians - our “Body is a temple”

10 commandments “Do not kill”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Evaluation of sanctity of life

A

There are many themes found in the Bible, the sanctity of life is only one.
Other themes include compassion and love, both emphasised by Jesus.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Quality of life

A

What makes life valuable is the quality that it has in terms of the balance of happiness over suffering.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Singer on the sanctity of life (NL)

A

Based on outdated Christian views and thus should be re-evaluated.
The reason killing is wrong is that it violates the preferences or interests of a being.
If someone has a low quality of life and a preference to die, then voluntary euthanasia is justified.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Nozick on autonomy (SE)

A

The principle of ‘self-ownership’, that each person owns their body and can do what they want with it.
If someone wants euthanasia then that is up to them, no matter the reason.
Voluntary euthanasia is always morally right.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Singer’s criticism of autonomy (SE)

A

Example of a love-sick teenager who wants to die for short-sighted reasons.
Singer claims we can ‘safely predict’ they will get over their issues.
Allowing autonomy in euthanasia for absolutely any reason would lead to many people dying when they themselves would have ended up regretting it.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Mill on autonomy

A

Society will be the happiest it can be if we follow the harm principle.
People should be free to do what they want, so long as they aren’t harming others.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Situation ethics on euthanasia

A

Euthanasia can be morally good, in situations where it maximises agape.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Barclay’s criticism of Situation Ethics and euthanasia

A

People are not perfectly loving so if given the power to judge what is good or bad, people will do selfish or even cruel things.
People’s loving nature can be corrupted by power.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Fletcher and Robinson’s defence of situation ethics

A

Humanity has progressed since medieval times and ‘come of age’.
People are more mature and can be trusted with more freedom to break ethical rules if it is the loving thing.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Natural law and euthanasia

A

God has given reason to human nature and designed it to be able to intuitively know the primary precepts of natural law.
Euthanasia violates the primary precept to preserve human life.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Slippery slope argument (SE)

A

Allowing euthanasia might be the beginning of society reducing respect for life and placing pressure on the elderly or disabled.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Voluntary euthanasia

A

A persons death is directly caused by another person (eg doctor) with consent.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Non-voluntary euthanasia

A

A persons death is directly caused by another person (eg doctor) without consent.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Passive euthanasia

A

When life-sustaining treatment is withdrawn thereby leading to death - ‘letting nature take its course’.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Assisted suicide

A

A person dies as a direct result of their own voluntary action but with the help of another person.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Imago dei quote (NL)

A

“God created mankind in his own image”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Imago dei and the value of human life (NL)

A

Leads to the belief that God gave us life which has intrinsic value because we have Godlike qualities such as the ability to reason - so life has value.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

The story of Abraham and the suggestion that human life is sacred
(NL)

A

God wouldn’t ask Abraham to kill his own child, instead he allows the killing of a ram - therefore God recognises the value of human life.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Dworkin’s justification of the sanctity of life (NL)

A

“Human life is intrinsically valuable, and worthy of a kind of awe, just because it is human life”

21
Q

Mahoney’s justification of the sanctity of life (NL)

A

“The emergence of the human being even as a matter of chance in a blind cosmos is a genuine cause for wonder”

22
Q

Wyatt on the sanctity of life (NL)

A

Humans are dependent of God for their lives, because God is in control of every individual’s life.

23
Q

QALY

A

Quality Adjustment Life Years.

Measures pain, psychological health and mobility then weighs this up against life expectancy.

Used in the UK when determining treatment options.

24
Q

Why might quantifying the quality of a person’s life be problematic?

A

When people are given a certain amount of time left to live, this is only a prediction - which might not be completely accurate.

25
Q

Doctrine of double effect and euthanasia (NL)

A

Example:

Dr Moore giving a seriously ill cancer patient morphine to relieve her pain. The morphine killed her, yet his count of murder was cleared as his intention was to relieve his patients pain not to kill her.

26
Q

How can euthanasia be seen as an apparent good? (NL)

A

Euthanasia seems like a good way to end suffering.

BUT surely a more positive/natural death is more life affirming (eg is hospice)

27
Q

Dame Cicely Saunders against euthanasia (NL)

A

Founded a hospice and believed that death should be life affirming/free from pain. Guided by the christian faith ‘There is a time to live and a time to die’

28
Q

Catechism of the Catholic Church on euthanasia (NL)

A

“Discontinuing medical procedures that are extraordinary can be legitimate”

Treatment which is extraordinary to human life (eg life support, intense treatment eg chemo) allows passive euthanasia.

29
Q

Grisez and Boyle on euthanasia (NL)

A

All people, even if they have a low quality of life, have person hood - because their bodies are somewhat maintaining function and have valuable life.

This protects the vulnerable.

30
Q

How can euthanasia be a lesser of two evils?

A

Death is a ‘pre moral evil’, although it causes suffering it isn’t evil as it is biological and inevitable.

31
Q

Fletcher quote on euthanasia (SE)

A

“Harder to justify a slow and ugly death, dehumanised than it is to justify helping him escape from misery”

32
Q

Fletcher on the quality of life (SE)

A

Medical morals “Must be concerned with the quality of life, not merely the quantity” because quantity means people lose dignity.

33
Q

How is pragmatism useful in discussions of euthanasia? (SE)

A

It balances the cot of treatment, the patients wishes and generally more practical factors against keeping someone alive.

34
Q

How is positivism useful in discussions of euthanasia? (SE)

A

Patients/their families will have faith that they are doing the most loving thing.

35
Q

How is relativism useful in discussions of euthanasia? (SE)

A

It considers that there is situations in which it is more loving to euthanise a patient instead of keeping them alive.

36
Q

How is personalism useful in discussions of euthanasia? (SE)

A

It respects autonomy and recognises the importance of dignity - a persons life needs to be of individual value to them.

37
Q

Slippery slope criticism of SE

A

It has a permissive approach, leading to changing attitudes/an increase in acceptance so an increase in euthanasia causing pressure towards the elderly or sick.

38
Q

Departs from mainstream Christianity criticism of SE

A

Romans “Let us do evil that good may result” (Using evil as a means for goodness - the end result) BUT SE says “only the ends justifies the means”

39
Q

Too individualistic criticism of SE

A

Fletcher is a product of a permissive society. He is lacking and somewhat disregarding in guiding principles and standards/rules which disregards freedom and causes danger.

40
Q

Needing absolute criticism of SE

A

Without rules we are de-valuing human life; saying that life has no value if an individual is disables, old, severely ill or in pain.

Rules protect people in end of life care as they do not have the ability to reason sometimes.

41
Q

Teleological criticism of SE

A

Teleological theories predict the future - what if a terminal illness gets a cure? What if somebody’s quality of life increases?

42
Q

Self-interest criticism of SE

A

Who can we rely on to make decisions in non-voulntary euthanasia? Next of kin? Doctors? Everyone has their own selfish priorities, supporting Augustine and Hobbe’s ideas that we are flawed.

43
Q

Tony Bland case study

A

he suffered severe brain damage from an incident which left him in a persistent vegetative state - the courts rules that his feeding tubes could be stopped to end his life.

Allowing passive euthanasia.

44
Q

Diane Pretty case study

A

Had MND and the govt rejected her request for her husband not to be prosecuted if he helped her die.

Denying assisted suicide.

45
Q

Criticisms of extraordinary means (NL)

A

Does the distinction matter? Is removing a feeding tube and stopping spoon feeding morally different?

46
Q

Rachels support of euthanasia (NL)

A

If we allow passive euthanasia we should allow active euthanasia “There’s no difference between killing and allowing to die”

47
Q

Singer’s criticism of the doctrine of double effect (NL)

A

“Is the doctrine of double effect cloaking consequentialism in the robe of an absolute ethic?”

48
Q

Criticism of NL’s rejection of euthanasia as it ‘plays God’

A

Medicine is already playing God by extending life beyond what is natural so it is inconsistent to say we shouldn’t help in terminal care.

49
Q

Strength of the distinction of extraordinary means (NL)

A

The patient is offered autonomy through choosing to refuse/accept extraordinary treatment to prolong life.

50
Q

Strength of the doctrine of double effect (NL)

A

It allows for the administration of pain relief which may shorten life (providing their intent is to relieve pain)

51
Q

Strength of an absolutist theory (NL)

A

It means that rules can be created to protect human life - problems come with abolishing euthanasia rules.

Ethics (6 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions