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ethics > euthansia- "asses the view that euthanasia is always morally wrong " > Flashcards

euthansia- "asses the view that euthanasia is always morally wrong " Flashcards

1
Q

explain the sanctity of life argument against euthanasia

A
  • human life is sacred because it contains a soul.
  • all human life is made in Gods image and God identifies with humans through the incarnation.
  • life is a gift so consequently all forms of euthanasia are wrong.
  • pro-life supports argue for a strong sanctity of life argument as they are “vitalists”
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2
Q

explain the Christian weak sanctity of life argument

A
  • although human life is sacred, there may be situations where it would cause more harm than good to continue with it.
  • no one should endure extraordinary pain and life is a gift but it shouldn’t be a burden.
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3
Q

define voluntary euthanasia

A

when the person suffering chooses to end their life in a painless manner

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4
Q

define non-voluntary euthanasia

A

-where the consent of the suffering individual is unavailable. E.g. when a person is in a persistent vegetative state.

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5
Q

what is active euthanasia

A
  • actually killing someone through the use of a lethal injection.
  • going to Switzerland to die
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6
Q

what is passive euthanasia

A
  • stop giving he patient treatment.

- e.g. switching off the life support machine

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7
Q

explain the strength that allowing euthanasia will free up hospital beds

A

there will be more money available for patients who stand a better chance of recovering and enjoying a good quality of life

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8
Q

explain the strength that euthanasia will mean that governments can save money

A

as there is no need to fund research into better palliative care for the terminally ill

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9
Q

explain the disadvantage that euthanasia will causes people to feel like they are a burden on society

A
  • how do we prevent disabled, elderly and terminally ill patients opting to die, not because they want to, but because they are worried that they are burden?
  • e.g. an old lady is terminally ill and she feels pressure to die because her family are spending a lot of time on her and they are constantly stressed.
  • moral pressure could be put in elderly people by selfish families.
  • a follower of natural law would say that this is breaking “harmonious living”
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10
Q

explain the disadvantage that euthanasia is that start of a slippery slope

A
  • will lead to the involuntary killing of anybody who causes problems for society
  • where do we draw the line
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11
Q

explain Helga Kuh’s challenge to the slippery slope

A
  • people think we would be like the Nazi’s if we allowed euthanasia as we are admitting that some lives aren’t worth living.
  • however, she says that the argument for voluntary euthanasia is about compassion, whereas the Holocaust was about racial purity.
  • the Netherlands allows voluntary euthanasia and this has not ended in a slippery slope.
  • we can make laws to ensure that this doesn’t happen
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12
Q

what would Aquinas say about euthanasia

A
  • our telos is to reflect the image of God so even if we are suffering terribly we still have the potential to reflect God.
  • Due to the primary precepts, since euthanasia is taking a life instead of preserving it, it must be wrong.
  • ‘harmonious living’ . If someone is suffering than it isn’t harmonious living
  • however of voluntary euthanasia was allowed for an elderly person who felt they should volunteer to die then this could be breaking ‘harmonious living’ as this pressure would be of concern for doctor, families etc.
  • however, he is a follower of “ius” so would recognise that what is right/wrong depends on the circumstances
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13
Q

summary of points to conclude that euthanasia isn’t always morally wrong

A
  • frees up hospital beds
  • saves money which can be used on patients who have a better chance of surviving.
  • no slippery slope in Netherlands.
  • weak sanctity of life argument suggests there are situations where euthanasia is acceptable.
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14
Q

what will you include in the introduction

A
  • sanctity vs quality of life
  • autonomy
  • voluntary vs non voluntary
  • passive vs active
  • it has lead me to argue that euthanasia isn’t always morally wrong
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15
Q

which points support your argument and why (paragraph 1)

A
  • euthanasia will free up hospital beds.
  • more money available for patients who have a better chance of surviving.
  • saves money as no need to fund research into better palliative care for the terminally ill
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16
Q

what are the weaknesses of your argument (paragraph 2)

A
  • How would we prevent pressure being put on elderly/terminally ill people.
  • give an example
  • slippery slope through voluntary euthanasia. Involuntary killing of anybody who causes problems for society.
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17
Q

what is an alternate view that may address these weaknesses (paragraph 3)

A
  • Helga Kuh challenges slippery slope.
  • people think we would be like nazis if we allowed euthanasia as admitting some lives aren’t worth living.
  • Helga Kuh says holocaust was about racial purity but euthanasia is about compassion.
  • Netherlands allow it and no slippery slope.
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18
Q

what are the weaknesses of this view? (paragraph 4)

A
  • Aquinas (telos, primary precepts following natural law)
  • Euthanasia is always morally wrong. Sanctity of life argument - pro life.
  • However it is wrong to inflict religious beliefs on people who do not believe in God
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19
Q

what will you use in the conclusion

A
  • Summary of points why euthanasia isn’t always morally wrong.
  • some issues that are still unresolved are; how would we regulate euthanasia to cover all the things that could go wrong, and would doctors start recommending assisted dying to terminally ill.
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20
Q

what are Peter Singer’s views on euthanasia ?

A
  • we should abandon the sanctity of life principle in favour of a non-religious quality of life argument.
  • he says life isn’t valuable because we have a soul but instead that it must possess certain attributes to have value.
21
Q

other followers of the quality of life argument suggest that life becomes more or less valuable depending on what?

A
  1. the immanence of death
  2. consistency of pain
  3. ability to think
  4. ability to enjoy life
  5. ability to make rational choices
22
Q

hard-line followers of natural law would take which approach to euthanasia

A
  • they view the primary precepts as “lex” (fixed laws which must be obeyed)
  • therefore they we see that all forms of euthanasia are wrong
  • our purpose is to reflect the image of God. So, even if we are suffering terribly or very close to death, we are still alive and therefore have the potential to reflect God
23
Q

what would those following the “ius” approach to natural law say about euthanasia

A
  • “ius” is guidance
  • they would recognise that what is right/wrong depends on the circumstances
  • we must use our wisdom in each situation
24
Q

explain how double effect (natural law) can be used in the case of euthanasia

A
  • it is possible that a patient may require a lethal dose of drugs to alleviate their pain.
  • the original intention was to prevent suffering but death is just an unfortunate by-product.
  • the intention was good.
  • to kill someone is evil but to alleviate their pain is good
25
Q

explain the strength of the NL approach to euthanasia that it upholds the sanctity of life argument

A
  • defends the rights of the elderly, handicapped or terminally ill.
  • all human life is designed by God for a purpose.
  • if someone is close to death or severely disabled they are still valuable human begins because they can reflect the image of God
26
Q

what is a proportionalist response to euthanasia

A

killing is always wrong but sometimes necessary

27
Q

what would Fletcher’s (situation ethics) response be to euthanasia

A

if a person is at great pain and has no quality of life then it is surely the most loving thing to help them die

28
Q

Fletcher argues that the ends justify the means. How can this be applied to euthanasia?

A

the patient can choose a dignified death, and the family are spared the distress of watching a loved one suffer and deteriorate

29
Q

For Fletcher, quality of love is more important than sanctity. Was was included in his list of criteria to identify if a human being is a person

A
  • self awareness
  • self control
  • minimal intelligence
  • the sense of passage of time
30
Q

followers of NL look at the bible to confirm their conclusions. Therefore, what would they maybe say about euthanasia ?

A
  • divine law tells us to ‘choose life’ and ‘do not kill’
  • and in Job it says ‘the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away’
  • this implies that only God should decide when a life should begin and end
31
Q

explain the link between NL followers and Pro Life

A
  • Pro Life campaigns against abortion, embryo research and any potential changes to the law regarding euthanasia
  • they are applying the principle addressed by the hierarchy of law which recognises that state law can be over ridden if it comes into conflict with with divine or natural law
32
Q

explain the strength of the NL approach to euthanasia that double effect outs the needs of the person first

A
  • it is important that they do not suffer unnecessarily and NL recognises that pain relief is essential
  • similarly a more proportionate, weak sanctity of life approach recognises that it is acceptable to allow someone to die rather than prolong their discomfort. It is never acceptable to kill.
33
Q

apply the 4 working principles to euthanasia

A
  1. pragmatism: euthanasia results in a dignified death, and the family are spared a difficult wait.
  2. relativism: killing is neither right or wrong, it depends on the situation.
  3. positivism: helping someone die is right because your loving intention is bringing about an end to their pain.
  4. personalism: the patient and their family is more important than unquestioning obedience to the 10 commandments
34
Q

what is Fletcher’s example of ‘sacrificial suicide’

A
  • a terminally ill patient refuses drugs to prolong his life because he knows that his life insurance will soon run out.
  • if he dies soon then his wife and children will be able to claim insurance money
35
Q

what did Fletcher describe euthanasia as ?

A

“death control” (like birth control, it gives you the right to autonomy)

36
Q

explain the weakness of SE approach to euthanasia that it relies on us agreeing over what is the most loving thing to do in a situation

A
  • make such a decision over euthanasia could seem impossible for many people because they will not know what is the best course of action
  • how does one define ‘love’
37
Q

apply the case of Charlie Gard to situation ethics and euthanasia

A
  • the baby whose parents wanted to fly him to America because there was a very slim chance that a new treatment could prolong his life
  • the doctors at Great Ormond Street would not allow this because they thought his death was immanent and that the travel would be too distressing and uncomfortable for him; better to let him die in peace.
  • use this example to critics se to euthanasia as how does one know what is the most loving thing to do in that situation?
  • both parties could claim that they were acting out of love, but who is ‘right’? Situation ethics offers no guidance
38
Q

explain the weakness of se to euthanasia that the approach doesn’t define what a situation is

A
  • e.g the family of a patient in a coma with no prospective quality of life might feel that they are doing the right thing in asking for active non voluntary euthanasia, but they must consider wider implications…
  • will elderly or terminally ill people fear going into hospital because their family/doctors can decide to end their lives ? this is not a very loving outcome
39
Q

tow strengths of se to euthanasia

A
  • treats us like grown ups
  • we are not simply given rules to obey,mount we are asked to use our reason, and think how best love can be served
  • more flexible than the hardline approach to NL. Although Aquinas NL is proportionalist, the catholic interpretation is very prescriptive ( telling us what to do) and many people are hesitant to break the rules.
40
Q

what is the weakness of NL to euthanasia that it means we have no auto U

A
  • even if we apply the weak sanctity of life argument, the implication is that we have no autonomy
  • our life belongs to God
  • we must fulfil the purpose for which we were designed
41
Q

followers of NL look at the bible to confirm their conclusion. Explain how divine law can be applied to euthanasia

A
  • tells us to ‘choose life’ and ‘do not kill’ and it says in job ‘the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away’
  • implies that God should decide when a life should begin and end
42
Q

why for Fletcher was quality of life more important than sanctity of life

A
  • he wrote a list of criteria to identify if a human being is a person
  • self awareness, self control, minimal intelligence and the sense of passage of time
43
Q

5 key words for se

A
  • relativist
  • Joseph Fletcher
  • agape
  • teleological
  • the ends justify the means
  • four working principles
44
Q

in situation ethics why may it be argued that active euthanasia is more loving?

A

-with passive euthanasia it takes a long time to die but with active it is quick and painless

45
Q

explain the weakness of the natural law approach to euthanasia that it may cause pro long suffering

A
  • by claiming that a person is ‘sacred’ they may feel like they have to continue with life even if they are suffering tremendously
  • Peter Singer, a Utilitarian, thinks that it is better to concern ourselves with decisions which will cause less suffering and more pleasure. He argues that killing someone is not wrong if it is what the patient wants
45
Q

what is the weakness of the NL approach to euthanasia that is about the time Aquinas was writing ?

A
  • when Aquinas was writing people did not survive accidents or diseases so life was more valuable.
  • with modern medical techniques we can keep people alive, even though they may have no quality of life.
  • the precept ‘to preserve life’ is nowadays, out of date and we must re think
45
Q

What are the two contrary views on euthanasia

A
  • religious believes believe that God has given life and only he should take it away
  • secular views tend to favour that autonomy of individuals to make decisions about their own life
  • this leads to conflict about sanctity of life vs quality of life
46
Q

Involuntary euthanasia

A

Euthanasia performed on a patient against their will

ethics (12 decks)

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