Physician Assisted Suicide

Question 1

PAS Definition

Answer 1

PAS is when a physician provides a patient with the means to end their own life, typically due to terminal illness or unbearable suffering.

Question 2

PAS Ethical Debates

Answer 2

Central concerns include autonomy (the patient’s right to choose) and beneficence (the physician’s duty to do good and avoid harm).

Question 3

Daniel Callahan

Answer 3

-Position: Opposed to PAS.
-Arguments:
-Sanctity of Life: Callahan argues that life is intrinsically valuable and should not be ended prematurely.
-Slippery Slope: Allowing PAS could lead to non-voluntary euthanasia or the devaluation of life, especially for vulnerable populations.
-Role of Physicians: Physicians are meant to heal, not to end lives, and permitting PAS could undermine the integrity of the medical profession.

Question 4

Autonomy Objection

Answer 4

Proponents of PAS argue that individuals should have the right to decide the terms of their own death, especially in cases of unbearable suffering

Question 5

Response to Autonomy Objection

Answer 5

Callahan might argue that autonomy is limited by the potential harm PAS could do to societal values around life and medicine.

Question 6

Counter-Arguments to Callahan

Answer 6

-Compassion Argument: Advocates for PAS argue that assisting a patient in ending their suffering is the most compassionate course of action.
-Quality of Life: PAS may be justified when a patient’s quality of life is irreversibly poor, allowing them to die with dignity.