Euthanasia

Question 1

What is active euthanasia?

Answer 1

Carrying out some actions to help a person die

Question 2

What is passive euthanasia?

Answer 2

Not carrying out actions which would prolong life

Question 3

What is voluntary euthanasia?

Answer 3

Helping a person who wishes to die to do so

Question 4

What is non-voluntary euthanasia?

Answer 4

Helping a person to die when they are unable to request this for themselves.

Question 5

What is a living will?

Answer 5

A documents which a patient writes concerning their preferences about medical treatments in the event of becoming incompetent

Question 6

What does DNR mean?

Answer 6

‘Do not resuscitate’, can be a reuqest of the patient (in their living will) or of the family

Question 7

What is palliative care

Answer 7

Care concerned with alleviating pain, but does not provide treatment for the actual illness. Its for those who suffer from a terminal illness.

Question 8

Persistent vegetative state

Answer 8

A condition where someone remains unconscious and the chances of them regaining consciousness become increasingly remote

Question 9

Euthanasia n laws in the UK?

Answer 9

Assisting a suicide is illegal and a criminal offence.

Question 10

What are the arguments for euthanasia?

Answer 10

1) Individual’s right to die
2) Shows mercy and compassion
3) Allows a dignified death
4) Avoiding inevitable painful death
5) Mental anguish
6) not murder ~ already dying

Question 11

What are the arguments against euthanasia?

Answer 11

1) Hippocratic Oath
2) Mistakes with diagnosis
3) Abuse of the system
4) Slippery slope
5) change relationship between patient and doctor
6) Alternatives exist

Question 12

The Netherlands and Euthanasia

Answer 12

Legal since 2002

Question 13

What does Pete Singer say about euthanasia?

Answer 13

There is no moral difference between the withdrawal of treatment and the active killing of a patient

Question 14

What do Roman Catholics say about euthanasia?

Answer 14

AGAINST!!

life is sacred and a gift from God, they condem taking life

Question 15

What do Roman Catholics allow regarding euthanasia?

Answer 15

The ending of treatments where death is inevitable and the avoidance of excessive treatments

Question 16

What does the Church of England say about euthanasia?

Answer 16

Human life is a gift of God to be preserved, they are opposed to the legislation of euthanasia.

Question 17

What do liberal protestants think about euthanasia?

Answer 17

Joseph Fletcher - most loving decision

‘Face and accept death as a preferable to continuous suffering for the patient and family’

Question 18

What did Hans Kung say?

Answer 18

‘All-merciful God has given men and women freedom and responsibility for making a conscientious decision about the manner and time of their deaths’

Question 19

What do Hindus think?

Answer 19

self willed death can be a heroic act, its a choice to move beyond this life.

Question 20

What does Bentham think about euthanasia?

Answer 20

He is for euthanasia if a person’s existence brings about more pain and suffering for the patient and their family that happiness, then they should be allowed to die.

Question 21

What does Mill think about euthanasia?

Answer 21

He is for euthanasia because it allows someone to be free from higher and lower pain. He thinks there is no victim because the person wants to die. He was concerned about the dignity, autonomy and freedom of the patients.

Question 22

What did rule utilitarians think about euthanasia?

Answer 22

They are against it because they must obey the rule do not kill. They believe that ill patients can have palliative care.

Question 23

What did Fletcher think about euthanasia?

Answer 23

He thought that euthanasia can be the most loving thing to do in the situation.

Question 24

Two Fletcher quotes about euthanasia

Answer 24

‘It is better to face and accept death as preferable to continuous suffering for the patient and their family.’
‘Death is better than a miserable life, and eternal rest than chronic stress.’

Question 25

What is the slippery slope argument?

Answer 25

If we allow voluntary euthanasia, then it increases the chance of non-voluntary euthanasia being legalised in the future.
We cannot predict the impact of euthanasia