Euthanasia Flashcards
What is Euthanasia?
A gentle or easy death to someone suffering from a painful, terminal disease who has little quality of life.
Active Euthanasia?
Death that is brought about by an active agent.
E.g. Poison
Passive Euthanasia?
Death that is brought about by the removal of treatment.
E.g. Life support, ventilator
Voluntary Euthanasia?
Euthanasia where you personally decide.
Non-Voluntary Euthanasia?
When you are physically unable to decide so others decide it for you?
For
Quality of Life?
Suffering unbearable pain can be make your quality of life very poor, so it may be judged as a life not worth living.
For
Loss of dignity?
Many people have long drawn out deaths relating to their disease which are not dignified. Euthanasia avoids this.
For
Economics?
It is very expensive to treat old and terminally ill patients. People think money should be spent on those which have a chance of living.
For
Right of choice?
It is the right of each human being to choose when they die.
Against
Medical reason?
A doctors diagnosis could be wrong, or a cure may be found for the disease in the near future.
Against
Doctors Integrity?
Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath to save lives not take them. This would compromise doctor-patient trusts.
Against
State of Mind
You can’t know if a person wants to die 100%. They might change their mind too late.
Against
Moral Evil?
Old people may feel pressured into Euthanasia for families gain of money.
What is assisted suicide?
This term is used when a person wants help to end their own life in a pain free way.
