Euthanasia vs SE Flashcards
Point one - SE applied
When suffering of a patient is so great that their life becomes unbearable, they should be able to end it as this is seen to be the most loving action.
Point one - Advantages
Fletcher’s working principles of relativism and personalism, means euthanasia is not always morally wrong and seems morally ethical as personalism posits how the person should be put at the heart of the decision
Point one - Disadvantages
Yet consequentialist ethical approach means that it is impossible to know the outcomes – ironically love could not be best served as the persons death could cause more harm than good for those still living
Pope Paul. Allowing euthanasia will encourage immoral people to put pressure on sick relatives to end their lives when this was not what they wanted, more absolute approach like NML needed which would prevent these immoral dilemmas
Point one - counter
In the Netherlands where Euthanasia has been permitted it’s been Widley regarded as a success
Point one - response to counter
Yet takes away the intrinsic value of life and could resort to more people turning to suicide when placed in stressful situations at school/work
-Ironically once again SE may lead to a least-coming outcome as the person may do things that they later regret
-Natural Law goes against secondary precepts of defending the innocent
Point two
Situation ethics would look at the quality of life and not uphold the sanctity of life to decide the most loving course of action within each situation. This is because it places more responsibility on the person and them being able to discern agape love within each situation
Point two disadvantage
Hippocratic oath - Doctors in the 21st century take it, it obliges them to of good and avoid harm.
-Places to much responsibility on the Doctors which could cause harm to their own MH or or on the other hand make pessimistic diagnosis as there is an absence of hope
Point two counter to Hippocratic oath
It is also pointless to help someone who cannot overcome disease and, in a situation, where medicine is powerless so although to actively pass out Euthanasia is wrong omission is not (passive Euthanasia
Point two response to counter (acts and omissions)
Yet Rachels challenges this viewpoint: Suppose Jones will also inherit a fortune if his young nephew dies and as he enters the bathroom he sees his nephew slip, hit his head and drown. He watches and does nothing – this is an ‘omission’ as Jones could have saved him
-Thus, both passive and active Euthanasia should not be permitted
Point two - Counter to Rachels argument
Yet cases such as Tony Bland – vegetative state
It would not be the most loving course of action to keep someone on life support if they will not get better – seems innately immoral/wrong
Point two - Counter to Tony Bland
However a more absolute approach (NL) does allow some flexibility in these situations Doctrine of Double effect: though administering a drug may shorten their life it is acceptable provided the intention is to relieve pain and the shortening of life is an unintended secondary effect
Also all life has intrinsic value and despite the worldly situations it should not matter if one case allowed then could lead to the lines of when euthanasia is permissible or not to be blurred
Point three (autonomy and Euthanasia)
Autonomy and Euthanasia - that individuals should be free to make their own decisions regarding their future.
Situation Ethics – relativistic ‘sometimes you have to put your principles aside and do the right thing’
Point three - Advantages
Nan Maitland – bot terminally ill but suffered from arthritis did not to experience ‘prolonged dwindling’
Point three disadvantages
so much that contributes to a person’s quality of life and not all of it can be medically measured. An issue as complex as euthanasia cannot be based simply on whether love is best served.
Mill’s - ‘Over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign’ - People regarded as having the right to autonomy over their own lives.
Point three - counter to the disadvantages
Jonathan Glover– if they are making the decision in a diminished mental state then they cannot be truly autonomous
Difficult to know what the most loving course of action would be
