Euthanasia- Ethics

Question 1

What is euthanasia?

Answer 1

“A gentle or easy death to someone suffering from a painful, terminal disease who has little quality of life.”

Question 2

What is sanctity of life?

Answer 2

the idea that life is intrinsically sacred or has such worth that it is not considered within the power of a human being.

Question 3

What is quality of life?

Answer 3

a way of weighing the extrinsic experience of life, that affects or justifies whether or not it is worth continuing life.

Question 4

What is assisted suicide?

Answer 4

when someone gives a very ill person the means to take their own life.

Question 5

What is voluntary euthanasia?

Answer 5

this applies when a person’s life is ended painlessly by a third party at their own request.

Question 6

What is palliative care?

Answer 6

end of life care to make the person’s remaining moments of life as comfortable as possible.

Question 7

What are some quotes from the Bible that disagree with euthanasia?

Answer 7

“thou shall not kill”,

“the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away”

Question 8

What is a person?

Answer 8

A person is not the same as a human being. A human being is the name of a species.

Question 9

Who would distinguish between humans and persons?

Answer 9

Peter Singer would distinguish between humans and persons.

Question 10

what are examples of certain qualities to have personhood?

Answer 10

self awareness, ideas for your future, ideas about your past, emotionality

Question 11

What is a quote from Mill?

Answer 11

“The only part of the conduct of any one, for which [a citizen] is amenable to society, is that which concerns others. In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his body and mind, the individual is sovereign”

Question 12

What does Kevorkian say (a doctor who assisted suicides)?

Answer 12

“In my view the highest principle in medical ethics – in any kind of ethics –is personal autonomy, self-determination. What counts is what the patient wants and judges to be a benefit or a value in his or her own life. That’s primary”

Question 13

How is the primary precept “worship God” broken?

Answer 13

10 commandments – do not kill

“The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away”

Question 14

How is the primary precept “ordered society” broken?

Answer 14

we could argue it is legalised killing that could seriously disrupt the bedrock principles of society like to protect and to not harm.

Question 15

How is the primary precept “preservation of life” broken?

Answer 15

Euthanasia is killing.

Question 16

What is allowed in NML? (Doctrine of double affect)

Answer 16

Doctrine of Double Affect
Administering pain relief may shorten life but the intention is not to kill the intention is to reduce pain. The consequence of shortening life is unintended.

Question 17

what does can we say about pragmatism and euthanasia?

Answer 17

Some may see Euthanasia as a pragmatic solution for terminal patients. If a patient has limited life remaining then they wish to opt for a more peaceful death – this is a pragmatic solution.

Question 18

what we say about relativism and euthanasia?

Answer 18

All decisions are relative to the situation. It could be but it might not be either. Euthanising for depression is wrong. Euthanising for progressive supra nuclear palsy is right.

Question 19

what we say about positivism and euthanasia?

Answer 19

A NML theorist does not ask “what is right for the welfare of all concerned in the situation?” they will ask “does it break a primary precept?”. The latter is not a decision based on love. In the case of Dr Anne Turner her and her family may suffer unnecessarily if she cannot pursue assisted suicide. She suffers physical pain and her family have to watch her suffer. Therefore assisted suicide may be right. The Swiss doctors who assist her can be making a loving action.

Question 20

what can we say about personalism and euthanasia?

Answer 20

There is a lot of support in the UK for euthanasia although the law does not permit it. It may be an example of the people putting ill patients first above the rules. In this case UK citizens can be justified going abroad to die.

Question 21

What could a virtue theory supporter say about euthanasia?

Answer 21

If a person is in a state where he or she is no longer able to achieve eudaimonia, then further living would seem to be pointless, in which case Aristotle might accept that voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide are the courageous option.