S2 Matters of Life and Death: Key Words Flashcards
Paranormal
Unexplained things which are thought to have spiritual causes, e.g. ghosts or mediums.
Immortality of the soul
The idea that the should lives on after the death of the body.
Resurrection
The belief that, after death, the body stays in the grave until the end of the world when it is raised.
Near-death experience
When somebody about to die has an out of body experience.
Reincarnation
The belief that, after death, souls are reborn in a new body.
Abortion
The removal of a foetus from the womb before it can survive.
Sanctity of life
The belief that all life is holy and belongs to God.
Assisted suicide
Providing a seriously ill person with the means to commit suicide.
Euthanasia
The painless killing of someone dying from a painful disease.
Non-voluntary euthanasia
Ending someone’s life painlessly when they are unable to ask, but you have a good reason for thinking they would want you to do so - e.g. switching off a life-support machine.
Voluntary euthanasia
Ending life painlessly when someone in great pain asks for death.
Quality of life
The idea that life must have some benefits for it to be worth living.
