Matters Of Life And Death Flashcards
Arguments against abortion
- All human life is of equal value, even a foetus
- Abortion is contrary to the medical ethics in the Hippocratic Oath which states: “I will maintain the utmost respect for human life, even from the time of conception.”
- People should take responsibility for the consequences of their actions
- Abortion can damage the long term health of a woman
Arguments for abortion
- A woman should have the right to choose what happens to her body
- An embryo is a cluster of cells, not a human being
- A woman should be regarded as a person and not just a container for the foetus
- Aborting a damaged foetus is better than bringing a severely disabled child with no quality of life into the world
Church teachings on abortion
Catholic Church; “The direct and voluntary killing of an innocent human being is always gravely immoral.”
Presbyterian Church; “The scriptures leave us in no doubt that from his earliest days in the womb, the unborn child is fully human, a person made in the image of God.”
Methodist Church; Abortion is perceived as wrong but is permitted in certain circumstances eg if the mother’s health is at risk, if the pregnancy is a result of rape or if the foetus is abnormal and incapable of survival
Anglican Church; “In the strongest terms, Christians reject the practice of induced abortion”
Types of euthanasia
Voluntary euthanasia; Euthanasia is carried out at the request of the person who dies
Non-voluntary euthanasia; The person cannot make a decision or make their wishes known and someone else makes the decision on their behalf
Active euthanasia; Directly and deliberately causing the patient’s death eg painkiller overdose
Passive euthanasia; Withdrawing or withholding medical treatment to deliberately allow a patient to die
Arguments for euthanasia
Many people think that a person has a right to his or her life and should be able to determine when they die
A civilised society should allow people to die in dignity without pain
Euthanasia is used for animals so why not humans
Euthanasia protects family and friends from watching loved ones suffer
Arguments against euthanasia
Human life is sacred
Euthanasia forces doctors to break the Hippocratic Oath
If euthanasia was made legal the laws regulating it could be abused
Proper palliative care renders euthanasia obsolete
Arguments for capital punishment
Strong deterrence
Protects society
Ultimate payback
Brings justice and closure to victims and their families
Arguments against capital punishment
A wrong person may be condemned
Uncivilised and devalues human life
Can be more expensive than a simple life sentence
Can turn convicted terrorists into martyrs
Aims of punishment
Deterrence
Protection
Vindication
Retribution
Repayment
