Ethical issues surrounding Euthanasia

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  • Created by: mermaids_
  • Created on: 14-04-14 16:59
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  • Ethical issues surrounding Euthanasia
    • Sanctity of life
      • Christianity holds that all life is sacred.
        • According to the Bible, life is a gift from God and only he should take it away 'The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away' (Job 1:21)
    • Quality of life
      • Peter singer argues that the worth of human life varies and depends on its quality.If the patient considers they have a low quality of life this justifies voluntary euthanasia.
        • This raises problems over who makes the decisions if the patient is not able to.
          • Is it allowing the doctor to 'play God'such as when they put DNR orders on patients files without their expressed consent.
      • CASE STUDY: Daniel James was a young rugby player who was paralysed in a rugby scum.He chose to die at Dignitas rather than lead a life paralysed.
      • CASE STUDY: Tony Nickinson had locked-in syndrome after a stroke he died after refusing food or treatment for pneumonia for a week after a rejection by the High Court of his case that doctors should be allowed to assist his death without facing persecution.
    • Autonomy
      • John Locke argued that a person has absolute rights over his or her body
      • John stewart Mill (on Liberty) says people should have full autonomy as long as it does not harm others.
      • CASE STUDY: Nan Maitland age 84 chose to die at Dignitas rather than suffering a 'dwindling old age'
    • Personhood
      • Patients in PVS.Many argue that using euthanasia on those with PVS or those who cannot give informed consent will lead to a slippery slope
      • Grisez and Boyle emphasise the importance of personhood and reject the view that someone can be bodily alive and yet not be a person- euthanasia they say is against the basic good of life
  • Christianity holds that all life is sacred.
    • According to the Bible, life is a gift from God and only he should take it away 'The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away' (Job 1:21)

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