What are the different types of euthanasia
Voluntary:
persons life is ended at their own request
Non-voluntary:
when a person life is not ended at their request but someone representing their interests
Passive:
Treatment is withheld that indirectly results in the person’s death.
Active:
a treatment is given that directly causes the death of the individual. Illegal in the UK. Legal in Switzerland
What is the sanctity of life argument
All life is sacred and we should protect it no matter what
made in God’s image (Genesis), inherent value, ‘Thou shall not murder’(Exodus), we are all temples of the Holy spirit (St Paul). Remember Sanctity of Life Natural law and Bible teaching are combined
What is quality of life
The idea that life’s value depends on certain attributes or goods such as happiness or autonomy
What are Peter singers 5 quality of life commandments
1) Recognise that the worth of human life varies.
2) Take responsibility for the consequences of your decisions (to save or end life.
3) Respect a person’s desire to live or die.
4) Bring children into the world only if they are wanted
5) Do not discriminate on the basis of species.
What is autonomy
Self ruling, free to make our own decisions
What is the argument from autonomy
Humans should be free to make their own decisions about their future.
Links to J.S Mill and about how if it doesn’t harm anyone else it is fine and how if we want to end our life we should let it happen
What are some issues with the autonomy argument
If they are making the decision in a diminished mental state then it is no autonomous and is difficult with non-voluntary euthanasia
What is the Hippocrates Oath
The Greek physician Hippocrates (460-370 BE) states that it would be wrong for a doctor to do something that would cause the death of a person.
However, in other writings, he suggests that it is pointless to continue to treat those who are overcome by a disease and for whom medicine is powerless.
What are glovers 5 options to do for euthanasia
1) Take all possible steps to preserve life.
2) Take all ordinary steps to preserve life but not use extraordinary means.
3) Not killing but taking no steps to preserve life.
4) An act which, while not intending to kill, has death as a possible foreseen consequence.
5) The deliberate act of killing.
What is the slippery slope argument
Opponents of euthanasia worry that changes to the law on euthanasia may be the beginning of a slippery slope where respect for life is reduced and pressure may be exerted on those who are vulnerable, such as the elderly or disabled. They may agree to euthanasia because they wrongly feel they are a burden to society.
This is seen with abortion
What is personhood
Linked to the idea of autonomy is the concept of personhood; in other words, what we mean by the idea of a ‘person’. For Peter Singer to say that the word person is the same as human being is incorrect and is speciesist. Many animals have many of the criteria that we would associate with persons and some human beings do not have the criteria.
What is palliative care
Palliative care makes someone comfortable (pain relief) in their end stages, but does not aim to cure them
What did Paul Badham say
Patron of Dignity in Dying. Believes that people should be given the option of assisted suicide (even if they do not actually go through with it). On the side of Situation Ethics. ‘Loving your Neighbour’ may be to help them die.
What are some case studies
Better off dead documentary- Liz Carr and about MAiD
Daniel James- voluntary euthanasia who became paralysed from the chest down in a rugby accident
Tony Bland- non voluntary euthanasia who was a victim of the hill borough disaster which left him in a vegetative state
Matt Hampson- paralysed after a rugby incident but didn’t take his own life with euthanasia
What do we need to think about with NL and euthanasia
Synderesis. Primary precepts. Real and apparent goods. Interior and exterior acts. Principle of double effect
What do we need to think about with situation ethics and euthanasia
Situation Ethics: Teleological. Always aiming to do and achieve the most loving thing. 4 working principles – relativism, pragmatism, personalism, and positivism. 6 Fundamental principles: Love is intrinsically good, ruling norm of Christian decision making, Love and justice are the same, Love wills the neighbour’s good, End justifies the means and decisions are made situationally not prescriptively
Situation ethics is not always on the side of euthanasia
