Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide

euthanasia

killing or letting a patient die for their own good

active euthanasia

involves performing an action that directly causes someone to die “mercy killing”

passive euthanasia

allowing someone to die by NOT doing something that would prolong life

voluntary euthanasia

situations in which competent patients voluntarily request or agree to euthanasia, communicating their wishes either while competent or though instructions to be followed if they become incompetent

nonvoluntary euthanasia

performed when patients are not competent to choose death for themselves and have not previously disclosed their preferences

physician assisted suicide

a patient takes their own life with the aid of the physician

“When Self Determination Runs Amok”- Daniel Callahan

Opposed to use voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide

argues that a persons right to self determination does not morally justify someone else killing that person even for mercy sake.

there is a moral difference between killing and letting die

“Physician Assisted Suicide: A tragic View”- John D. Arras

A firm believer in autonomy and finds himself deeply sympathetic to the central values motivating the case for euthanasia

argues that legalizing the practice poses too great a threat to the rights and welfare of too many people

“Active and Passive Euthanasia”- James Rachels

argues that the traditional distinction between killing and letting die is untenable, that killing is not itself any worse than letting die

active euthanasia is no worse than passive euthanasia

Thinks that active is better than passive

“Dying at the Right Time: Reflections on (Un)Assisted Suicide”-John Hardwig

argues that when death comes too late, we may have a duty to die or a duty to help someone else die

death that is too late might be a tragedy to ones family might be better off if one was dead

“Voluntary Active Euthanasia”-Dan W. Brock

Argues that the same two basic moral principles that support a patients right to make choices about life sustaining treatment also support the permissibility of voluntary active euthanasia

“Against the Right to Die”- David Velleman

euthanasia as an option may harm patients by denying them the possibility of staying alive by default