Euthanasia

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  • Euthanasia: "Mercy killing"
    • What?
      • Involuntary: Euthanasia performed AGAINST the wishes of the patient
      • Non-voluntary: Euthanasia is done WITHOUT the patient's consent
      • Voluntary: Where a person makes a conscious decision to die & asks for help to do this
      • Active: Deliberate killing of a patient
      • Passive: When life sustaining treatment is withdrawn
    • Sancity of life:
      • Humans are created in image of God-Human life is a gift
      • We should show respect for human life "Thou shalt not murder"
      • A human being has no right to kill what God created
      • Life should be high quality
        • Ronald Dworkin: If we no longer able to achieve a eudaimonic QOL it would be wrong to continue preserving their life
    • Quality of life:
      • James Rachels: Makes distinction between biological life &biographical life-What matters is biographical life, if this is already over (PVS) then taking away biological life is acceptable
      • Peter singer: Argues that the worth of human life varies it depends on the quality
      • Autonomy
    • The right to life:
      • The issues of individual autonomy
    • Arguments against:
      • Palliative care
        • Dame Saunders: Better alternative in providing pain-free death-Hospice, BUT: Not available to everyone
      • Slippery slope: Outcome will be process of further decline in respect for human life
      • Doctor-patient relationship: Doctors have duty to preserve life
        • Euthanasia will undermine trust between P and D
        • Hippocratic Oath

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