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Ethics 7 > Euthanasia > Flashcards

Euthanasia Flashcards

1
Q

Define ‘non-treatment decision’ / passive euthanasia

A

Medical professionals withdraw medication or life support because the patient won’t get better

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2
Q

Define ‘active euthanasia’

A

A deliberate action performed by a third party to kill a person

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3
Q

Define ‘sanctity of life’

A

The belief that life is intrinsically sacred and holds such worth that it should not be within human power to take it

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4
Q

Define ‘quality of life’

A

A way of weighing up the extrinsic experience of life that affects or justifies whether or not to continue living

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5
Q

Define ‘personhood’

A

The quality of human life that makes it worthy

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6
Q

Define ‘autonomy and the right to die’

A

Human freedom should extend to be able to choose the time and manner of death

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7
Q

Define ‘voluntary euthanasia’

A

When a person’s life is ended painlessly by a third party

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8
Q

Define ‘non-voluntary euthanasia’

A

When a person is unable to express their wishes but there is reasonable ground to end their life

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9
Q

Define ‘dignity’

A

Worth or quality of life linked to sanctity of life and freedom

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10
Q

Define ‘palliative care’

A

End-of-life care to make a person’s remaining moments of life as comfortable as possible

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11
Q

Define ‘involuntary euthanasia’

A

A person is killed beyond their wishes e.g. Nazi doctors killing people because they were disabled

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12
Q

What are Daniel Maguire’s views of euthanasia?

A

Euthanasia to shorten a person’s time taken to die by not prolonging life is legitimate because it allows people to have power whilst not denying their sanctity of life

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13
Q

What are Peter Singer’s views of euthanasia?

A

The traditional concept of sanctity of life must be neglected as quality of life can justify a wanting to take their own life

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14
Q

How do some people believe medical science can help decide when a person no longer exists?

A

Medical science can help us decide when sanctity is no longer a factor as the person no longer exists. Protecting life is one thing but keeping the body alive when the person is gone is another

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15
Q

What is ‘imago dei’?

A

Using the quote ‘Man was made in the image of God’ as a foundation of thinking when arguing cases of euthanasia

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16
Q

“Humans have to be a (1) of priests and a (2) nation” - Old Testament

A

1 - Kingdom

2 - Holy

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17
Q

What did Lactantius believe?

A

God made humans sacred with dignity which is proven by Jesus’ resurrection

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18
Q

How do some believe that taking your own life endangers others?

A

Because it undermines the value of life and puts others at risk of euthanasia being an option to them

19
Q

Give three quality of life arguments that support euthanasia

A
  • Humans should live and die with dignity
  • Self-respect rather than dying in pain
  • Compassion e.g. humans have the power to put pets down when they are irrecoverable
20
Q

Give an argument related to quality of life that discourages euthanasia

A

Miracles can happen e.g. Steven Hawking

21
Q

Give a quote from the Ancient Roman play ‘Prometheus Bound’

A

“It were better to die once and for all than to drag out my lingering days in anguish”

22
Q

Give a quote from Hippocrates

A

“Refuse to treat those who are overmastered by their disease… medicine is powerless”

23
Q

Give a quote from Kevin Smith

A

“… euthanasia must be a personal decision between the terminally ill and their family… it is ethically wrong to toss guilt… into a tragic situation”

24
Q

Why do some people consider someone on life support to be no longer living in regards to personhood?

A

They are incapable and self-unaware

25
Q

Give four disadvantages of the arguments of personhood in favour of euthanasia

A
  • neglects potential
  • a person, though on life support, can connect with others
  • a person never stops being part of a greater community
  • a person will always have a purpose
26
Q

Give a quote by John Stuart Mill on autonomy and right to die

A

“In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute… the individual is sovereign”

27
Q

Give a quote by Jack Kevorkian (a doctor administering euthanasia)

A

“What counts is what the patient wants and judges to be a benefit… that’s primary”

28
Q

Give a quote by Hans Kung (Christian and theologian)

A

“All merciful God… left to dying people the responsibility for making a conscientious decision about the time and manner of their death”

29
Q

Why is Gregory E Pence in favour of euthanasia?

A

Killing humans who don’t want to live is not wrong because it is not wrong to help the dying to die because they are already dying”

30
Q

Give three criticisms of Gregory E Pence

A
  • Right to die can become a threat
  • Cases of doctors using their authority to kill against will
  • It is wrong to oblige health professionals to be in institutions causing death
31
Q

What is Hippocrates view of voluntary euthanasia?

A

Killing a patient seems opposed to a doctor’s purpose, they should do everything possible to heal and assist

32
Q

Name three factors Johnathon Glover suggests should be considered when asked to help a person die

A

1 - decision is serious and not a result of a temporary mental state
2 - decision is reasonable and requires discussion
3 - circumstances are not liable to change e.g. medication available/ is suicide likely?

33
Q

Give a quote from Johnathon Glover

A

“To refuse to provide help is a very serious denial of the person’s autonomy… only to be justified by appealing to… future quality of life”

34
Q

What 3 ‘side effects’ of euthanasia does Glover reject?

A

1 - voluntary euthanasia could lead to involuntary euthanasia
2 - voluntary euthanasia discourages people seeking treatment
3 - detrimental to palliative care

35
Q

What three arguments does Glover suggest counteract the three ‘side effects’

A

1 - Nazis came from an evil ideology and not from a euthanasia campaign
2 - People have different views and so it doesn’t mean people will fear hospitals over dying
3 - Considering death does not stop people from having and wanting comfort

36
Q

What three conclusions does Glover come too?

A

1 - voluntary euthanasia is the most permissable but is subject to ‘side effects’
2 - illegal, involuntary euthanasia increases danger and exposure of doctors to ridicule
3 - easeful death is compassionate

37
Q

What form of non-voluntary euthanasia is legal in the UK?

A

Withdrawal of medication in cases of incurable pain

38
Q

Describe ‘living wills’

A

A document of will written in sane mind in case of the event of paralysis/ brain damage etc. which acts as a moral guidance for doctors

39
Q

What are Glover’s five options?

A

1 - preserve life at all costs
2 - take ordinary actions to preserve life
3 - don’t kill but don’t preserve life
4 - don’t act to cause death where death is the result
5 - deliberately kill

40
Q

What are Peter Singer’s views?

A

The desire for control over death defies the sanctity of life which causes an increase in doctors breaking commandment not to kill

41
Q

Describe the ‘slippery slope’

A

A person is euthanised because they have incurable pain but after their death, doctors realise their diagnosis was wrong or a cure is invented

42
Q

In what four ways does euthanasia relate to situation ethics?

A

Pragmatism - right or wrong depending on experience
Relativism - making decisions by acknowledging rules but defined by them
Personalism - personality is the supreme value that measures reality
Positivsm - People act in accordance to love

43
Q

How can Natural Law (Aquinas) be applied to euthanasia?

A

Euthanasia is wrong because it defies the commandment to preserve and live a long life of love under the key precept to do good and avoid evil as it contravenes divine law and the will of God

44
Q

Natural law as interpreted by the Catholic Church: Euthanasia is an (1) good that alleviates (2) but does not consider the (3) which considers God’s (4) and the (5) of Heaven

A 
1 - apparent
2 - suffering 
3 - intrinsic nature of life
4 - greater plan and will
5 - society

Ethics 7 (9 decks)

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