Euthanasia
Active vs. Passive
Voluntary, involuntary, non-voluntary
consequentialism
the law
case studies??
Wider reading
active : intentionally causing patient death eg. lethal injection
passive : death caused by an omission eg. withdrawing treatment - switching off machine, withholding treatment - not carrying out surgery that may extend life
voluntary - person asks someone to help them die, eg. write living will that explains wish to die if. they can no longer communicate
non-voluuntary : person no longer able to make decision eg. in coma - decision by relatives or medical experts
involuntary : person able to provide consent but does not (do not choose to, were not asked), usually described as murder
James Rachels - passive euthanasia prolongs pain experienced
BUT : passive means illness cause fo death not doctor, while active means doctor is cause
BUT : letting someone die is still an action, murder only sen as wrong because death is seen as an evil but if euthanasia desirable usual reason for not wanting to be cause does not apply
Peter Vardy
Natural Law
passive euthanasia aligns with DoDE
Right to life implies right to choose manner of death, personal autonomy BUT is this true if others are involved
Grisez and Boyles NL : basic human goods constitutive to human wellbeing (life) - never right to act against one of these basic goods - euthanasia not allowed as wrong to assume choice for death over life
Proportionalsim - Maquire - life basic good not absolute good - respected by not necessarily prolonged - against absolutism of "thou shalt not kill" have to weigh up proportional values to discover greater good
Charles Curran - dying process indicates life has reached its limit so euthanasia does not go against respect for life
rejects fatalistic theism (death part of God's plan) as this would mean all medicine is bad
Situation ethics - rationality key to human so can use free choice to die - most loving action must take into account affect on wider community
BUT : too vague, does not give any clear guidance, conflict of agape who do we priorities, relative so hard to make applicable law
Kant
emphasises intrinsic worth of every human being
can't use humans as means to end
universalisation of maxim is contradiction in law of nature - unless maxim more specific but this is not Kantian
Utilitarianism
alleviates suffering so greater happiness (but cancels out future happiness, physical pain does not equate suffering esp. with palliative care)
emphasises importance of liberty and autonomy
rule utilitarianism may be against legalisation - case that brings more happiness offset by negative effects
QALYS : qualitative measure for someones quality of life p measure psychological state, level of pain and mobility - what drugs could help and are good value for money
BUT : removes emotion, undermines human life, life should be more important than monetary threshold
killing a person undermines this personhood
but if someone is unconsihod does not have personhood (passive is okay)
CRITCISMS : no emotion, undermines reason of individual as reducing free will, confusion over who has personhood, situations too relative for universal rule
against precept of preserving life
using morphnine attention is to relieve pain (adverse effect is death being sped up, whereas active has bad effect as main intention
personalism : reduce pian, respect wishes
STRENGTHS : emphasis on dignity of person, love is intuitive response, appreciates emotions, relative so can be adapted
Mill : paient may be unable to partake in higher pleasures
illegal in UK
Popper - negative utilitarianism - alleviates pain
Singer - preference utilitarianism - in persons interest
On Liberty - does not harm others so gov. should not be able to intervene
BUT : family - does affect others
limited medical resources, hospice care is expensive so this would be reduced
elderly/disabled may feel pressure - slippery slope
aligns with Christian view - should respect SoL, only God can judge and control human lives "the lord gave and the lord has taken away"
should rejoice in suffering as Christ suffered
Hume :Is-ought gap (just because it is derived from natural law does not make it moral)
love for individual : reduce pain, dignity in. dying
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