Applying Natural Law and Situation ethics to Euthanasia

The basic tenets of this philosophy (Natural Law):

• Aristotle/Efficient Cause/Final Cause/Eudaimonia/Puropse/Perfection/Intention of God
• Aquinas/Reason/Eternal, Divine, Natural, Human law/Real good/Apparent good/Primary & secondary precepts.

What Natural Law says:

• Draws on innate sense of right and wrong & according to this we all know that taking life is wrong therefore it's wrong to take our own life and ask others to do it for us.
• Right response, to allow nature to take its course & for death to occur in own time.
• Wrong to intervene with drugs or treatment that could alleviate pain or reduce suffering. This would permit a policy of leaving severely handicapped infants to die. 
• When applying natural law, primary precepts & sanctity of life need to be considered. Life is sacred & gift from God,euthanasia contravenes divine law (created in God's image).

...Continued

• NL: act of euthanasia is wrong, anyone involved is committing a wrong act. Euthanasia is an apparent good- seems to alleviate suffering but doesn't recognise greater good which is related to intrinsic nature of life, in mystery of God's plan. 
• Leads to thinking about status of life. If it was legal, may scare older people so they don't go into hospital. Or may lead to people considering it as an option if they're depressed. Undermines living well together and other precepts, lead to 'slippery slope'. 
• Catholics: burdensome treatment shouldn't be offered at end of life. Moral obligation not to strive to keep person alive. Person may feel treatment gives greater discomfort so refuse even though they may live longer, but so they can lead better life. NL would not prevent them from this kind of choice. 

More on Natural Law:

• Doctrine of double effect - consider palliative care as principal purpose even though life ends sooner. Intention not too kill or give person power over their life, but to alleviate pain. 
• But if person has none of higher capacities associated with human life (e.g. reasoning) then may body not be considered in same way. This could be justification for euthanasia, but there's possibility they could contribute to another person's pursuit of their purpose. 
• Some of these characteristics not possessed by children, so using their absence to justify setting aside of natural law prohibition of killing seems unlikely. 

Applying Situation Ethics:

• Sanctity of life
• Death, whether it be murder or euthanasia, goes against God’s will and is wrong
• But, some Christians make a distinction between killing and letting someone die. The C of E says ‘ Doctors do not have an overriding obligation to prolong life by all available means, if to do so is to also prolong suffering’
• ‘Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you, and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God.’ 1Corinthians 6v19
• ‘None of us lives for himself only, none of us dies for himself only. If we live it is for the Lord that we live, and if we die, it is for the Lord we die’. Romans 14v7-8

What is Situation Ethics?

• Teleological (JF claimed, based on the production of the most love), Relativist
• Fletcher rejected a legalistic approach, too restrictive and antinomianism this would lead to moral anarchy.
• Suggested a third approach based on Agape love, unconditional love of neighbour. Based on central moral teaching of Jesus. Love is the only intrinsically good things and all actions are relative to it. People should work out what to do not just follow rules.
• There are 4 working principles;  PRAGMATISM;  RELATIVISM;  POSTIVISM;  PERSONALISM
• There are 6 fundamental principles;
• Only love is good in itself; Love must guide Christian decision making; Love and justice are the same; Love wills our neighbours’ good; Only the end justifies the means; Loves decisions are made situationally.