Euthanasia Flashcards
Define Active Euthanasia
One person actions another death for the others benefit.
Define Passive Euthanasia
Be withholding treatment or taking away vital life prolonging support, one person allows another to die.
Define Voluntary Euthanaisa
The request to die by the person who competently wants to do so.
Define Non voluntary Euthanasia
A decision to die by a second party on behalf of one who is unable to make that decision
Define Suicide
One person intentionally killing him or herself
Define Assisted Sucide
One person helps another to commit suicide
Define Physician- assisted suicide
A qualified physican helps another to commit suicide.
Define Euthanasia
One person kills another with intention, or allows another’s death, for the other benefit.
What is perminant vegetative state?
The bodily process’ are maintained but the brain is functioning only at its lowest automatic levels.
Where does life end?
A physical end of life can be determined medically. However if somebody is in a PVS then there are issues surrounding the death of the consciousness.
We need a definition for the end of life (eg brain/heart stops working) and no if there even is a sufficient reason.
What about human rights? What do people have the right do to?
Patients have the right to refuse treatment even if it harms themselves or ends in their death. Doctors are legally bound to accept this.
They have the right not to prolong their life by refusing treatment.
Is it a contraindiction? If a person refuses treatment to prolong their life then haven’t they shortened it anyway?
Humans have the choice to end life not prolong it. Isn’t this odd?
What is palliative care?
The use of medication to reduce pain or suffering in the final stages of life as opposed to cure.
It keeps the patient alive for longer and makes their exit from the world a dignified one.
What is a hospice?
A place of refuge for the dying that provides holistic palliative care.
Specializes on a more holistic level. Cares for their emotional well being to provide relief rather then physical ailments.
Provides support for family.
Main aim is having a dignified death.
What is this … Consciously refusing treatment knowing that the outcome is death is seen as acceptable. Consciously willing medication of which the consequence is death and with less pain is seen as unacceptable.
An argument showing that it is a delicate dilemma
How far should a persons individual rights extend over their own body, fate and destiny?
We have human rights when we are alive so why shouldn’t we have then when we are dead.
What is medical futility?
It raises the question about the point of continued treatment where there is no reasonable hope of cure or of benefit to the patient
What two questions does medical futility raise?
Who is to make the decision about terminating life and how is this decision to be reached?
Is a law that allows Euthanasia on the grounds of medical futility workable. Some countries legalise that, under strict conditions it is.
What are some reasons against allowing Euthanasia? What if somebody was being abused?
How could the law be monitored effectively?
Is the law workable to society as a whole?
Does Euthanaisa go againest the Hippocratic Oath?
Is it tampering with a natural cause of events?
Which country is euthanasia legal?
It Switzerland people can go to be Euthanised as their is a complexity in the legal system.
What is euthanasia?
A way of removing pain/ unessassery suffering
What is the Hippocratic oath?
An oath taken by physicians to uphold specific ethical standards.
What is the catholic perspective of euthanasia.
They are against euthanasia. “Life is too sacred and a gift from God to be taken away. It is wrong to ask for it to be taken.
Suffering is important. Jesus dying on the cross is an example of this.
