EUTHANASIA AO2

Question 1

Job 1:21

Answer 1

“Naked I come from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the lord gave and the lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the lord.”

Question 2

Exodus 20:13

Answer 2

“You shall not murder”

Question 2

Deuteronom 30:19

Answer 2

“I call heaven to Earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curses,”

Question 3

John 3:16

Answer 3

“For God loved the world so he gave his only son, that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

Question 4

1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Answer 4

“Love is patient… it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Question 5

Bible on suicide

Answer 5

Euthanasia is blasphemy because its rejection of God’s gift. Why King Saul and Judas who killed themselves are strongly condemned in the Bible.

Question 6

John Mill on Quality of Life

Answer 6

“He cannot rightfully be compelled to or forbear because it will be better for him to do so, but because it will make him happier.”

Question 6

Peter Singer on the Baby Doe abortion case

Answer 6

Termination of life acceptable if characteristics that distinguish us as human

Question 6

Pope St John Paul on euthanasia

Answer 6

Inspires a culture of death
“In this way, a kind of conspiracy against life is unleashed.”

Question 7

Dead donor rule

Answer 7

Define death to be both a lack of brain/body function - rules out any form of euthanasia

Question 7

Johnathan Glover

Answer 7

Argues that being alive isnt a sufficient condition for that life being valuable, must be conscious.

Question 7

Diane Pretty Case

Answer 7

2002, neck-down paralysis and motor neurone disease - asked for assisted suicide, lawyers argued she had autonomy, disregarded by the European court of human rights because she wasnt on life-condition, ended up suffocating like she feared she would

Question 7

Evangellion Vitae on ordinary/extraordinary treatment

Answer 7

Pope makes distinction between ordinary/extraordinary treatment - ordinary is obligatory. Life must be preserved providing theres no extra burdens to the patient → giving sick basic care ie. food/water necessary to sustain life, not to enhance/prolong it. Extraordinary not obligatory: not have high expectations of success (ie. surgery) / dangerous experimental therapies

Question 8

John Locke on autonomy

Answer 8

Value of life depends on a persons ability to have desires and preferences, not some soul which gives priority to humans above all animals

Question 8

Case of Baby Charlotte

Answer 8

2005, born with brain damage - against the wishes of her parents high Court ordered not to resuscitate baby in coma - medical assistance was costly. Life not absolutely sacred

Question 8

Peter Singer on euthanasia

Answer 8

Favours quality of life, non-religious view over sanctity of life.

Question 8

Acts and omissions

Answer 8

Distinguish between willing to do x (morally culpable), and omitting or refraining from doing x (which is not morally culpable if doing x would be to act immorally)
LIKE DOCTRINE OF DOUBLE EFFECT

Question 9

Dr David Moor Case

Answer 9

George Lidden died, bowel cancer and bedridden, Dr Moor gave morphine dosage to George which wasnt disclosed to NHS - claim he was only trying to relieve his pain. Acquited of murder

Question 10

Tony Bland

Answer 10

1989, placed on life support: although able to feed/breathe he was in a deep coma life-support turned off.
SIGNIFICANCE: doctors cant be expected to maintain a life

Question 11

NL STRENGTH of sanctity of life

Answer 11

Life is valuable regardless of anyones judgement about its quality. Thus NL avoids the potential for a slippery slope to occur where life becomes increasingly less significant

Question 12

NL STRENGTH on deontology

Answer 12

Prevents individuals from playing God and making decisions about the lives of others
BUT can only be applied to non-voluntary euthanasia

Question 13

STRENGTH OF NL Doctrine of Double Effect

Answer 13

Idea of a double effect provides some helpful flexibility in an otherwise rigid system. This allows pain relief to continue despite the fragility and vulnerability of the patient

Question 14

Ecclesiates ch3

Answer 14

“Time to be born, and of time to die” - prejudged death

Question 15

Decalogue on euthanasia

Answer 15

Primary precept - Thou shall not muder

Question 16

1 Corinthians 6:18

Answer 16

"Bodies are the temple of the holy spirit."

Question 17

NL WEAKNESS of religion

Answer 17

Overly religious, dependant on Christian roots. Euthanasia often practiced in the ancient world prior to the dominance of Christianity. Euthanasia should be allowed nowadays in a secular society

Question 18

NL WEAKNESS of deontology

Answer 18

Legalistic/absolutist -> rigid. Each persons situation is different, difficulty with NL is that it insists a common approach

Question 19

NL Weakness of Sanctity of life

Answer 19

Rejects quality of life - expects people to live through extreme pain Does not place enough weight on human autonomy - surely the person concerned should be central to decisions about eithanasia

Question 20

NL WEAKNESS of doctrine of double effect

Answer 20

Argued that double effect is euthanasia by default - reliant on having the intention of the doctor. Distinction not always easy to see between, euthanasia - which NL rejects, and causing death as a secondary effect of paliative care

Question 21

SE Strength of situationist

Answer 21

Flexibility of situation ethics useful in an issue such as euthanasia. offers general principles rather than fixed rules, allows us to respond to complex and varying situations

Question 22

SE Strength of agape

Answer 22

Good moral principle -> puts people first, clear improvement on utilitarian ideas of maximising happiness for the majority

Question 23

SE strength of modern application

Answer 23

Modern technology and medicinial knowledge means that we are better placed to know who is/ who isn't worth treating than we might have years ago

Question 24

SE Strength of autonomy

Answer 24

Autonomy of individuals and recgonises that the patient is the most significant person in the situation

Question 25

SE Weakness of clarity

Answer 25

Seen as vague - while doing the most loving thing is a good aim, there's little guidance on what this might look like in practice. Means individuals differ as to what is the most loving thing

Question 26

SE Weakness of consequentialism

Answer 26

SE requires a prediction of future consequences. Not always possible in complex medical cases

Question 27

SE Weakness of boundaries

Answer 27

Lacks absolute boundaries and critics of euthanasia concern about a slippery slope which may lead to an increase in euthanasia cases, particularly for vulnerable people

Question 28

FOR Sanctity of life in 21st century

Answer 28

Upholds intrinsic value of life in a culture where we increasingly dehumanize others through our interactions in the real world and online Sanctity of life ensures that basic rights such as the right to live are respected, particularly in cases where those involved are not able to speak up for themselves Those who campaign against euthanasia worry about the potential of a slippery slope - that even some forms of euthanasia may lead to pressure being put upon the vulnerable - same case for abortion, 180,000 terminations taken in uk anually.

Question 29

AGAINST Sanctity of Life in 21st century

Answer 29

Sanctity of life is a religious concept that is out of place in increasingly secular society - estimated 50% no longer believe in God, less than 10% regularly attend Church Concept of sanctity of life odds with peoples autonomy in the cases of voluntary euthanasia, where people who have a sufficient brain capacity may request death Interpreting sanctity of life as saving life at all costs is self-defeating, leads to people dying in oain, does not treat human dignity w respect Demands all life must be saved at all costs - no need to treat all people

Question 30

YES people should have autonomy over their own lives and decisions

Answer 30

SE supports the idea of autonomy. Key aspect of the idea of personalism that we allow individuals to make decisions about what is in their own interest Many of the arguments against autonomy are based on a religious notion of the sanctuary of life, becomes irrelevant if God doesn't exist. Regardless on whether God exists or not, over 50% do not believe he does - need concepts appropriate for secular age

Question 31

NO people should not have autonomy over their own lives and decisions

Answer 31

NL would reject the view that autonomy is the most important consideration in issues like euthanasia. Life is viewed as God-given, must preserve life as its one of the 5 primary precepts Autonomy is not a concept of sacred texts, specific arguments against taking life Autonomy is a difficult concept to apply in such a traumatic/stressful time. Tricky for someone in extreme mental/physical agony to have clarity of thought.

Question 32

There's a difference between acts and omissions when it comes to euthanasia

Answer 32

For NL thinkers, actions matter preserving innocent life rules out acts that directly lead to death, although the idea of double effect allows that some actions may lead to the death of the individual Distinction between acts and omissions takes seriously the issue of moral agency. If we were to allow active euthanasia, we would need doctors and medical professionals to carry this out. This would conflict with the Hippocratic oath and cause anxieties for those physicians who are involved