Ethical issues surrounding Euthanasia
- 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)
- Christianity holds that all life is sacred.
- 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.
- This raises problems over who makes the decisions if the patient is not able to.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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)
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