Voluntary Euthanasia:

What is Voluntary Euthanasia?

* The act of deliberately ending a person’s life to relive suffering at their own request

Glover’s views on VE:

• Being against/not allowing euthanasia is denying someone’s autonomy which is what makes their life worthwhile, therefore we should help them to end their life

• ‘To refuse to provide help is a very serious denial of the person’s autonomy over the matter of their own life and death’

Glover - When is VE morally permissible?

• VE may be morally permissible (if it is a serious and well thought out decision) in principle but this should be subject to the side effects

• If others can see if this is a well though out decision + agree with them

• If there is no hope for change in the future

• By doing this, he is not leaving any room for a slippery slope

(best illustrated by the case of Diane pretty)

Diane Pretty:

• Had motor neurone disease, which is degenerative

• She wanted her husband to help her end her life

• When she took this to court, they denied her request

• She lived 8 years longer, during this her husband had to quit his job to take care of her

• When she died, her family was left with a financial and emotional burden

Glover on Diane Pretty:

* Glover would argue that the courts decision to deny her of VE was a serious denial of her autonomy as she was aware of the financial + emotional repercussions which could have been ended or prevented

John Stuart Mill on Diane Pretty:

* Taking one’s life is a matter of personal autonomy, this means that humans are the best judges of their own body

Singer on Diane Pretty:

* Euthanasia is only justifiable if those who choose to end their life make an informed, voluntary + settled decision to die → Pretty should have been allowed to be euthanised

Noa Pothoven:

* Was denied Euthanasia bc doctor’s believed she was too young and that her mental illness is curable

Scholars on Pothoven:

Mill + Singer

• They would argue that she was denied the autonomy to act on a decision that was best for her

Glover

• she does not meet the criteria

Natcen (2007):

• 88% of respondents agree that euthanasia should be legalised

• Shows that sanctity of life is outdated, people are moving away from this view due to secularisation

Weakness - Augustine:

* As a consequence of the fall we are weak-willed and have poor judgement, therefore we should not able to be trusted with making good rational decisions

NL +VE LOAs:

• Reason

• Telos

• Tiers of Law

• Precepts

SE + VE LOAs:

• Six Propositions

• Four Working Principles

NL/VE LOA + Exp of LOA - Telos:

* Through the precepts, there are absolute and universal principles derived from God, that we need to follow in order to achieve our telos, VE prevents this, as it goes against the preservation of life, therefore it is wrong

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__Explanation__

The principles come from God’s eternal law which has an important role in human morality. As we were made Imago Dei, according to Genesis 1:27, we should be able to follow the precepts such as the preservation of life.

Reason Argument + Explanation:

• Reason helps us to discover God’s eternal law and develop our moral character, therefore we use it to make ethical judgements

• VE is not in line with eternal or divine law, therefore by allowing it we are preventing both parties from achieving their telos

• VE is an error in reasoning bc it is a highly emotive issue as we do not want to see others suffering, and we think that by respecting people’s autonomy, what we are doing is right

• This is a strong argument bc our reason is given to all humans by god, making it reliable and applicable to all situations and eliminating our reliance on the bible/divine law

• Romans 2:15 - ‘the works of law is written on our hearts’

• For example, in the case of Diane Pretty and Tony Bland, Aquinas would argue that their decision based on Felicitas and temporary earthly happiness as there is a higher eternal happiness that can be achieved when following eternal law

• For Diane Pretty, the emotional and financial burden left upon her family is not detrimental bc the Beatific Vision is a higher spiritual reward

SE - Six Propositions argument:

• Prop 4 - ‘love wills the person good’, Agape sets out to serve the interests of others

• Prop 1 - love is the only things that is intrinsically good, therefore love should be at the centre of all decision making as demonstrated through Jesus’ teaching to ‘love thy neighbour’

• Voluntary Euthanasia shows agape because through it, we are allowing people to die with dignity by respecting their autonomy which is a loving action to make

• For example the parents of Daniel James showed agape towards their son by allowing him to be euthanised in Switzerland

• Fletcher’s view is strong because he has a realistic approach to ethical decision making

Weakness of Six Prop Argument - Aquinas:

• Fletcher’s focus on selfless love is an apparent good, as we assume that it will help us reach god-like perfection and achieve our telos when in actuality, it does not.

• Aquinas would ague that this seeks Felicitas, and goes against the sanctity of life, preventing all parties from achieving their telos

Overcoming Aquinas - Six prop:

* Love is justice distributed, decisions with love are right

Four Working Principles + VE argument:

• According to the 4WP, VE would be in line with personalism, as by allowing it, we are upholding the interests of people above the law/legalism and are therefore maximising agape

• Fletcher believes that when in an ethical dilemma, we will not achieve a desirable outcome through following the law but through using agape

• Strength bc Fletcher’s personalism in line with the quality of life principle which is seen as more relevant to people now as it matches the views of people in a more secular society

Weakness of 4WP - Barclay:

* Reminiscent of Augustine’s view on human nature due to original sin, Barclay argues that Fletcher’s situation ethics demands a unrealistic level of morality, that would only be attainable by saints and that we are uncapable of considering how our decisions would maximise agape

Overcoming Barclay - 4WP:

* Barclay is incorrect in assuming that demonstrating agape love is unrealistic as there is the example of Jesus who commanded that humans can and should maximise agape in ethical dilemmas