Euthanasia

Question 1

Euthanasia

Answer 1

The act of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurable condition, by lethal injection (active euthanasia) or the suspension of extraordinary treatment (passive euthanasia)

Question 2

Dr Cox and Lilian Boyle

Answer 2

• Lilian was a patient with severe pain due to arthritis that will never heal
• She asks Dr Cox to end her life, however, euthanasia is illegal
• Dr Cox injected a drug into Lilian which caused her death
• He was charged with manslaughter, as it was ruled that Lilian’s death was not the intent of Cox’s acts

Question 3

Maleficence

Answer 3

To do Good

Question 4

Non-Malevolence

Answer 4

To do no harm

Question 5

UK laws on euthanasia

Answer 5

• All types of euthanasia are illegal in the UK
• However, withholding or withdrawing treatment is legal if it’s in the best interest of the patient

Question 6

Grisez and Boyle on The issue of personhood

Answer 6

• Grisez and Joseph Boyle stress importance on personhood, rejecting the view that one can cease to be a person and still be bodily alive.
• Do not accept PVS is not a person
• There are certain goods necessary for human well being
• They absolutely reject euthanasia

Question 7

Daniel Maguire on personhood

Answer 7

• Proportionalist
• Life is a basic but not an absolute good. No body should be obliged to prolong it in every situation
• Rejects that God alone has power over life and death

Question 8

Sanctity of life

Answer 8

• All life is sacred because it is made by God, and in the image of God
• Therefore, it should be protected at all costs

Question 9

Strong sanctity of life

Answer 9

• All life is sacred because it posses a God given soul
• No ordinary or extraordinary means justify terminating human life, from the moment of contraception to natural death.
• Also known as pro- life or vitalism
• Grisez and Boyle

Question 10

Weak Sanctity of life

Answer 10

• Killing an innocent person out of love is not murder, as murder implies ulterior motives
• In exceptional circumstances it is not wrong
• No one deserves to endure extreme pain; life is a gift not a burden.

Question 11

The Catholic Church on the sanctity of life

Answer 11

• Defines euthanasia as ‘an act or omission which of itself or by intention caused death, in order that all suffering in this way be eliminated’.
• To do this for one self is not allowed (Natural law- self preservation
• ‘Suffering has a specific place in God’s plan of salvation’

Question 12

Doctrine of double effect on euthanasia

Answer 12

• Pope Pius XII; drugs that easy pain but with a secondary effect of shortening life are permitted, as long as the intention is purely to ease pain.

Question 13

Peter Singer

Answer 13

• Believes society has moved away from the sanctity of life ethic and adopted a quality of life one.
• Increase in medical advances has led to a change in definition - brain ceasing to function now considered dead legally.
• Agrees with euthanasia, but believes there must be adequate safeguarding against abuse

Question 14

Quality of life argument

Answer 14

• Life is only worth living it it meets certain requirements that give it adequate quality
• If a life doesn’t meat these requirements, than euthanasia could be permitted.