Euthanasia Flashcards
What is passive euthanasia?
When death is brought about by omission e.g when someone lets a person die, by withholding or withdrawing treatment
What is active euthanasia?
When death is brought about by an act e.g. Patient given an overdose of painkillers
Withdrawing treatment example
Switching off a life support machine
Withholding treatment example
Not carrying out surgery that’ll prolong the patients life for a short while
What is voluntary euthanasia?
Euthanasia at the request of the person who dies
What is non-voluntary euthanasia?
When the person is emotionally unable to make the decision, so a close family member such as a daughter takes the decision for them
What is involuntary euthanasia?
When the person chooses life and is killed anyway
What is indirect euthanasia?
Providing treatment that has the effect of shortening their life
What is assisted suicide?
The person who is going to die needs help to kill themselves and asks for it
What is Germain Grisez’s point of view?
Focuses on a development of natural law, a person doesn’t cease to be a person because of an illness or being in a vegetative state - personhood is based on whether the person is recognisable as a person, you cannot use quality of life arguments or economic arguments to determine life or death
What does Daniel Maguire think?
Life is good but is not an absolute good, life should be respected but does not have to be prolonged, argues for proportionalism - there are proportionate reasons for going against something which is good, we have a right to life but it’s in proportion to suffering, refusal of care is not wrong
What does peter singer say?
All people are entitled to protection under law but not all humans are people, in order to be a person you must be self-aware and capable or perceiving yourself as an individual, killing a non person doesn’t have the same weight morally as killing a person, allows non-voluntary euthanasia
Ronald Dworkin says what?
Sanctity of life should be preserved and be of a high quality, humans want their neighbour to live well and not suffer, a suffering person does not experience a high quality of life, the individual isn’t happy and so it’s wrong to preserve life if they’re suffering
Mary Ann Warren’s five characteristics of a person
Consciousness, reasoning, self-motivated activity, communication, self-awareness
James Rachel’s argues what?
What’s the difference between murder and palliative care. No distinct difference between humans and animals - only cognitive ability.
